














m 













































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Rear -Ad mi nil Joint Woodward Philip, U. S. N. 



LIFE AND ADVENTURES 

"JACK" PHILIP 

REAR-ADMIRAL, U. S. N. 

(A Memorial Magazine in Four Numbers, May, 
June, July and August, 1903) 

by 

EDGAR STANTON MACLAY, A.M. 

AUTHOR OF 

A History of the United States Navy, A History of American Privateers, Reminiscences 
of the Old Navy, Editor of the Journal of William Maclay ( U. S. Senator from Pennsylvania, 
1789-1791), and of the Diary of Samuel Maclay (U. S. Senator from Pennsylvania, 1802-1809). 

Assisted by 

BARRETT PHILIP 

With contributory and anecdotal articles by 

William McKinley, George Beall Balch, 

Our Martyr President; Rear-Admiral, U.S.N. (Retired); 

Alfred Thayer Mahan, Francis John Higginson, 

Captain, U. S. N. (Retired); Rear- Admiral, U. S. N. ; 

John Davis Long, Henry Clay Taylor> 

Ex-Secretary of the Navy; Rear- Admiral, U. S. N. ; 

William Thomas Sampson Francis Tiffany Bowles, 

Rear- Admiral, U. S. N ; Rear- Admiral, U. S. N. ; 

Mary Philip Wheelock, w .» c 

_ _ ., . , „,.,. Wilton Merle Smith, 

Sister of Rear -Admiral Philip ; 

t\ tt <t> Edward Biddle Latch, 

David Howard I ribou, ,. ._ . ' . .. 

Chaplain, U. S. N. ; Chief Engineer, U.S.N. (Retired); 

Henry B. F. Macfarland, Marcus H. Rogers, 

Pres. Board of Commissioners, Daniel Delehanty, 

District of Columbia ; Captain, U. S. N. (Retired); 

Robert Edward Steele, Francis J. Haeseler, 

Chaplain, U. S. N. ; Lieutenant, U. S. N. 



ILLUSTRATED 

THE ILLUSTRATED NAVY 

13 Astor Place, New Yorx 



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CLASS ^-YXa Ho. 

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By 



Copyright, 1903, 
Barrett Philip. 



G£o tlje memory of tljat 
(gallant teaman ano Christian Gentleman 

Eear*atmrital 3|o^n ^ooDtoard ptyliv, ®* §b. $♦ 

£#$ toorfe is respectfully 
SDenicateo 



"Friendships are beacon lights illuminating our pathway 

through life — and the longer they burn the brighter they become. 

Happy the man who can pursue his journey to the end without 

his pathway being darkened by the extinguishment of one of 

these lights ! " 

Francis John Higginson, 

Rear-Admiral, U. S. JV. 



(Bxttutitoz Camion 



September 1, 1900. 

Admiral Phillip's distinguished service in the war with Spain 
won for him a high place in the regard and affection of the American 
people and was a fitting climax to his many years of duty faithfully 
and most efficiently performed. 

His untimely death will be long regretted, not only by those who 
were intimate with his sterling character and genial personality, but 
by all to whom his name and fame were known. 

WILLIAM McKINLEY. 



EXPLANATORY NOTE 

THERE have been few officers in the United 
States navy whose careers have been so nearly 
ideal as that of John Woodward Philip. His 
life-long devotion to duty, his conscientious carrying-on 
of routine in the many weary years of peace — weary at 
least to sea-warriors — his entire innocence of newspaper 
press bureaus or politico-social influence, his superb con- 
duct in battle, his modest, sailor-like acknowledgment 
of the plaudits of his countrymen, and, more than all, 
his beautiful Christian character have peculiarly endeared 
him to the American people. As a standard of naval 
excellence for the emulation of younger officers, the 
career of Philip is unsurpassed and cannot fail of 
beneficial results. 

To know "Jack" Philip — as he always will be affec- 
tionately known by those close to him — was to love him ; 
and, perhaps, the grandeur of his character is nowhere 
shown to better advantage than in his private letters 
and diary in which he unconsciously displays the full 
brilliancy of his soul. It is generally supposed — and 
to some extent true — that a diary is merely a monotonous 
entry of dates, conditions of the weather and other 
matters of purely individual interest. An exception 
must be made in the case of Philip. His private papers 
are replete with observations of the keenest human in- 



6 EXPLANATORY NOTE 

terest, while his sense of humor — so characteristic of the 
man — bubbles through all his writings, rendering them 
in the highest degree readable. In his journal of a 
cruise in the Far East, 1865-68, are many incidents 
of historic value, his landing on Chinese soil and capture 
of the notorious outlaw, Hon, easily ranking with the 
most brilliant of our "lesser" naval exploits. 

As a means of presenting these valuable records in the 
most readable form, the somewhat unusual plan of 
having the main narrative illuminated, here and there, by 
"cross-lights" from the pens of those who knew Philip 
best, has been adopted. The writer desires to acknowl- 
edge the great assistance he has received from Barrett 
Philip. To him belongs the credit for the conception 
of this work. 

There has been some dispute as to the precise wording 
of Philip's now famous exclamation at the naval battle 
of Santiago: "Don't cheer, men; those poor fellows are 
dying!" In some popular accounts the word "devils", 
is substituted for " fellows." It has been the privilege 
of the writer to read through the private papers of 
Philip for a period extending over forty years, and no 
where does the word " devil" or any approach to profane 
speech appear. It is highly inferential, therefore, that 
Philip, on this supreme occasion, was not guilty of any 
looseness of expression. E. S. M. 

New York, April, 1903. 



INTRODUCTION 

Captain A. T. Mohan, U. S. N. (retired) 

ONE of the first impressions made upon an 
observant reader, by the articles which form 
part of this work, can scarcely fail to be how 
much of interesting incident, pathetic, amusing, char- 
acteristic, what not, must appear in the common daily 
life of any man, if only it were duly recorded; but 
which most often passes away with him and is lost, 
unless some unusual circumstances, as in the case of 
Admiral Philip, lead to a collection of reminiscences, 
before the deaths of those in whose memories they lie 
hid shall have covered the man's career with a veil of 
almost total oblivion. 

Admiral Philip, however, was not an ordinary man. 
That he had a strongly marked personality, as well as 
a varied experience of life, is sufficiently testified, even 
to the most casual reader of the following sketches. 
Written, as these are, by many different persons, each 
cannot fail to emphasize from his own point of view 
those particular traits of character, or those especial in- 
cidents, which his own individuality has made him most 
quick to appreciate; but, nevertheless, the common hu- 
manity which underlies all our superficial diversities will 
also give its own coloring to each narrative. The uni- 
formity of impression hence resulting, the unpremed- 
itated accord of many witnesses, will give assurance of 
the broad outlines defining the man's character, of the 



8 INTRODUCTION 

basis of principle and belief upon which conduct rested,' 
of the nature, original or modified, which showed itself 
spontaneously when any special call elicited an ex- 
ternal manifestation of the inner spirit that made him 
what he was; when, as it were, out of the abundance of 
the heart the very man himself has spoken, whether by 
uttered word or by silent deed. 

I suppose that, with so many independent narratives 
placed in my hands, with the request to prepare an in- 
troduction to them, it is proper that I should contribute 
— not reminiscences of my own, but — an attempt, at 
least, to gather together into one the result of the recol- 
lections and of the traits of character presented by the 
other writers. To this, and to this only, in the scheme 
of a memorial to Philip, could my relations to his life at 
all summon me; for, while I knew him for over forty 
years, and always on terms of pleasantest intimacy when 
we met, our association was ever interrupted and in- 
frequent. Except for the three months of practice cruise 
in 1857, during the summer after we both entered the 
Xaval Academy, we never sailed in the same ship, and 
only for brief intervals were even in the same squad- 
ron. I have, indeed, my own clear and vivid sense of 
his personality, for he was not a man to glide smoothly 
over one's consciousness, even in a brief interview, and 
to leave no abiding trace upon memory; his glance, face 
and speech, keen and trenchant as a razor, were equally 
incisive and immediate in the effect produced. One 
understood something about him at once, and much 
more than is co mm only gathered about the average man 
in an even longer period; but it was not my privilege 
to enjoy with him that continued intimacy, in virtue of 
which one can at last say that he knows his fellow. 

Philip was fortunate in the choice, or chance, of his pro- 



" WHEN A MAX MARRIES ' ' 9 

fession. Whatever in ultimate analysis was the ground- 
work of his native character, he found himself at once 
thoroughly at home and at ease in the seaman's calling. 
I remember that even in that early cruise, 1857, when 
probably he first saw the sea — for he came from inland 
— there was a happy forwardness about him in all the 
workings of the ship that showed he was enjoying him- 
self. Whatever was going on, if you remembered any- 
thing about it afterward, you were pretty sure to re- 
member also Philip's face, keen and smiling among the 
throng. He stood out among others by dint of the con- 
stant repetition with which the eye seemed ever invol- 
untarily to light upon him, and simply because he was 
always there, where the weight of the work fell; at the 
bunt in furling, at the earring in reefing, and close to the 
block in a heavy drag. He was not one to be found 
"walking away with the slack," unless conditions justi- 
fied the indulgence in practical humor — which was not 
the least developed of his characteristics. 

This early fondness for the sea remained always. 
Coupled with the diffidence in women's company which 
so strongly marked him, and which is mentioned by 
more than one of the writers following, it prevented for 
many years the intrusion into his affections of the rival, 
whose demoralizing influence the profession in all ages 
has been prompt to recognize. The droll story told of 
Philip in Captain Delehanty's paper is the echo of Lord 
St. Vincent a century ago, "When a man marries, he 
is d — d for the sendee"; and the remark was certainly 
not original with St. Vincent. There is in this, doubt- 
less, a certain amount of humorous exaggeration; yet 
there are few officers who have not known cases where it 
was literally true, and all have seen in many instances the 
weakening effects of the struggle between the two 



10 INTRODUCTION 

masters — the home and the profession — which is, per- 
haps, of all hardships the one most peculiar to the 
naval career. Philip married comparatively late in life ; 
and hence, for many years, while habit was hardening 
into character, he ran his naval race in the light of a 
single eye, undistracted by cross-lights and unimpeded 
by external cares. His heart was in his command, and 
nowhere else; he had at that time what Marryatt called 
"the bad taste to prefer a fine ship to a fine lady." Thus 
it happened that, beyond almost all men of his time, 
he was recognized as typically the seaman ; not merely in 
professional capacity, for there he had many rivals, but 
in that strong personal identification and attachment 
which have found definition in the forcible old phrase — 
"All for the service. " 

Under these circumstances, it would be expected that 
the finer type of naval character would develop freely in 
him and become predominant; and so it was. Those 
traits which the consensus of professional opinion — the 
best qualified of critics — has pronounced to be foremost in 
the equipment of a seaman and an officer were promi- 
nent in him. First of all, the sense of duty, the tendency 
to foster which is one of the highest and most distinctive 
privileges of a profession which has many drawbacks to 
over weigh. 

The sobering, yet stimulating, effect of responsibility 
is doubtless felt in every profession, and receives noble 
illustration in all; but the comparatively small induce- 
ment which the prospects of the naval profession offer 
for the play of self-interest throws men back, in the many 
moments of monotonous weariness, almost wholly upon 
the sense of duty as the sufficient incentive to action, 
until the constant repetition of willing obedience to its 
dictates results in habit practically unconscious. So, 



"in the narrow life of a ship " 11 

too, the visible reliance and utter dependence of the 
small ship family upon the fidelity of each member to 
his allotted function in the organization, are so con- 
stantly obvious in the exigencies of sea life, that obli- 
gation cannot be ignored as easily as it can in occupa- 
tions where a man's relations to others, and the effect of 
his action upon their welfare, are less immediately and 
less constantly evident. It is easy to forget that which 
is not under one's eyes; but in the narrow life of a ship 
no permanent condition can long remain out of sight, 
or be thrust out of mind, as the homes of the rich can 
forget the slums. And hence, also, it is that the superior 
can enforce unpleasant tasks, and, as it were, excuse 
his own insistence upon them by the same appeal to 
duty, knowing that not only it cannot be resisted, but 
that also it relieves him from the imputation of incon- 
siderateness to which a distasteful order is apt to 
give rise. The feeling, therefore, is all-pervasive, thor- 
oughly mutual, and, in its action, incessant. 

That Philip was swayed and characterized by this 
motive was, therefore, not singular nor especially dis- 
tinctive. It was part of his training, of his environ- 
ment, something he shared with many others; a trait 
professional as well as individual, differing from man to 
man not in kind but in degree, according to natural tem- 
perament and faithful observance. But what was dis- 
tinctive in him — although not, we may thankfully say, 
distinctive of him alone — was the mighty working of 
this same characteristic under conditions where there 
lay no obligation of duty, narrowly considered; no pro- 
fessional obligation, but that only of a conscience conse- 
crated to the Divine Service and illumined by the new 
light which Christianity sheds upon man's relations to 
his fellows. 



12 IXTRODUCTIOX 

The sendee which he did to the poorer among these 
sprang not only from a nature originally compassionate 
and kindly— for such is often combined with, if not even 
the result of, an easy good humor, as averse to exertion 
as it is to severity. It was not so with hirn, although 
by temperament and in practice he certainly inclined 
more to indulgence than to harshness. I remember 
once that we were both members of a court-martial 
in a case of very aggravated misconduct, and after 
sentence a recommendation to the superior authority 
in favor of mitigation of the penalty was proposed. I 
declined to join in it, whereupon Philip turned to me and 
said, u The Saviour forgave." The argument did not 
convince me, but it was illustrative of his tempera- 
mental mildness of character, as well as of the control 
his Christian belief exercised over his action; and that 
control was one which worked not only in accordance 
with native disposition, as in the incident narrated, but 
against it when need was, constraining him in his later 
life of service to combat and subdue that retiring shy- 
ness which so markedly characterized him. and which 
is in a way one of the most incapacitating of influences. 
It seems so small a matter, and withal so creditable a 
frame of mind; it so readily counterfeits modesty, that 
a man easily dignifies by that epithet a weak acquies- 
cence in inaction, an abandonment and withdrawal of 
himself from exertion which it is a duty to make. 

This duty his Christian conviction and allegiance 
enabled Philip both to recognize and to perform, at what- 
ever cost. It is needless to enlarge upon the painful ac- 
ceptance of public appearance, the reluctant forwardness 
with which he entered into, and against strong natural 
repulsion carried out, the appeals, personal or general, 
which it fell to him to make for that beneficent under- 



PHILIP AND THE Y. M. C. A. NAVAL BRANCH 13 

taking, the great building in the neighborhood of the 
New York Navy Yard, for the housing and entertainment 
of naval seamen when on leave from their ships. Enough 
about this subject is said by those who follow me. 
The work itself is a monument of the benevolence of 
a Christian woman whose name will live in connection 
with it; but not least among the strong foundations of 
the enterprise was the sustained sacrifice of natural 
inclination which Philip made during those two closing 
years of his life. 

Xor should there be overlooked the immense help that 
derived to the undertaking from the general recognition 
of his strong professional character. AH know the ready 
sneer, or where the sneer is absent, the doubting shrug 
of incredulity which often meets the proposal to make a 
strong and prolonged effort to uplift a class of men, or 
to place them under conditions more favorable to moral 
growth. Nothing so effectually meets and disposes of 
the vague and impalpable, yet stubborn, resistance, 
which such incredulity opposes, as the "assurance of a 
man' ' at the back of the movement ; and there were few 
in the service so universally known for a combination of 
virile efficiency with true kindheartedness and piety. 

The dependence upon God which Philip openly 
avowed was not by any one understood to mean that 
he had not confidence in his own ability to contribute 
man's part — to do what a seaman could and should; nor 
did others doubt that he had a seaman's capacity to do a 
seaman's work. His reputation stood him in stead there; 
and so likewise when he proposed to further an effort 
which had for its object the bettering of the condition 
of seamen on shore, the facilitating their leading a hap- 
pier life, more sober, more pure, more comfortable, it 
was not forgotten that his administrative capacity, energy 



14 INTRODUCTION 

and tact, as well as his sailor-like qualities, had given 
him also the reputation of one of the best first lieuten- 
ants — executive officers — of his day. There was no dis- 
position to belittle as impractical any scheme which 
Philip indorsed by his active support. 

His sympathy, in short, dignified the effort by identi- 
fying it with a man whose reputation, personal and pro- 
fessional, rested on the firm foundations of established 
character, consistent with itself, understood and known 
by all who belonged to the service of his choice. Natur- 
ally a leader to his men, through his well-tried profes- 
sional competency, and through their experience of his 
just, firm, and yet considerate rule, he readily led them 
to look on what he did, as in the instance before us, 
with a trust and a favor not always extended to efforts 
equally well-meant, but which the natural misgiving of 
the seaman induces him to fear may tend to commit him 
to a degree of goodness greater than he is yet prepared 
to accept. They knew that Philip would not go further 
than to open to them surroundings of decency and com- 
fort, leaving these to work their natural results according 
to the disposition of each man; and that he would not 
compromise their acceptance by any of the misplaced 
urgencies of indiscreet zeal, eager to force the ripening 
of fruit before its due season. Among the many 
hindrances to the progress of a good work among men 
like seamen the fear of such indiscretion is one of the 
greatest, and is often a strong instrument in the hands 
of those who withstand good because they have a per- 
sonal interest in evil. To remove such impression the 
support of Philip — and, it must in merest justice be 
added, that of other officers imbued with the like spirit 
and trusted like him — powerfully contributed. 

It was from the midst of work of this character, unob- 



"the accuracy of philip's judgment" 15 

trusive but not undistinguished, that Philip was called 
away; two years, nearly to a day, after his last battle, 
which may be considered to have terminated his active 
service afloat. Of the part taken by his ship, the 
Texas, in that action, he has fortunately left us a memo- 
rial, told in terms the incisive charms of which, with their 
occasional racy expression, bear distinctive marks of his 
personality. Strongly illustrative of these characteris- 
tics is the brief mention of the imminent threatening 
collision between the Texas and the Brooklyn, as the 
latter loomed suddenly before his eyes through the 
smoke when she was describing her since celebrated loop. 
Few in the profession will be found to question the 
probable accuracy of Philip's judgment of the situation, 
and that his quick appreciation and instant seamanlike 
action averted the chance of a collision, which, had it 
occurred, would have marred the glory of the day, and, 
by materially reducing our force, might have rendered 
success most incomplete — even if it had not converted 
an occasion of rejoicing into one of general mourning. 
There are many certainly who could and would have 
acted with equal accuracy and promptitude, but this 
also we can assuredly say, that in this incident, little 
noted because all ended well, Philip not only contributed 
directly to the success of the day, but showed an ade- 
quacy to unexpected emergency which surprised no one ; 
simply because his professional reputation stood so high. 
For the rest he tells us much of the ship and somewhat 
of his own experiences — of what he underwent — but is 
silent on those more strictly personal actions which 
others, fortunately, have preserved to us. His gather- 
ing of the ship's company after the battle for silent 
thanksgiving has high professional precedent; Nelson 
did the like after the battle of the Nile. The complete- 



16 INTRODUCTION 

ness of our success at Santiago, and the comparative 
immunity of our fleet from injury, either to ship or men, 
permitted an immediate spontaneous demonstration 
such as Philip made, differing therein from the more 
deliberate method of the English admiral. But the in- 
teresting feature in both cases is the indication how close 
under the surface, how real and how operative, was the 
feeling of dependence, and of its correlative thankful- 
ness, that so naturally and immediately broke out into 
utterance. 

It is this, also, which imparts its peculiar interest 
to those other words of Philip, which have rung through- 
out the country and are become household words with 
many who never looked upon his face. It was not a 
happy facility for phrase-making, but a deep inner spirit 
of compassion and charity, that in the full heat of strife 
and victory, still recent, found voice in the words: "Don't 
cheer, men; those poor fellows are dying." 

It was because Philip was what he was that he then 
said what he said. It was, indeed, but the echo of the 
humane spirit that turned the victorious seamen from 
their guns to their boats to save their drowning foes; 
nor is it the prerogative of one race or of one navy only to 
show this generous ardor. Our English brethren of that 
day saved the Spaniards from among their exploding 
battery-ships at the siege of Gibraltar, in 1782, at risks 
like those of Trainor, the boatswain's mate of the Iowa, 
told by Captain Evans, and of others mentioned, either 
generally or by name, in the stories of the American cap- 
tains at Santiago. 

These not only saved others, but ventured their own 
lives to do so. But it fell to Philip to give this spirit 
expression, as it fell to Lawrence to say: " Don't give 
up the ship," and to Craven, willingly sacrificing his life 



" A NOBLE COMPANY " 17 

at Mobile, to yield precedence of escape from the very- 
jaws of death, and to bequeath as his last words the 
memorable phrase: "After you, pilot.' ' 

Such eloquence — such outspeaking of that which is 
within — is not idle breath, but fruitful in lofty ideals and 
in future noble acts. Words and deeds remain from 
henceforth forever irreversible, monuments to the de- 
parted whose spirit they summarize, and a heritage to 
the living whom they challenge to emulation. In them, 
as in the lives of the heroes themselves, the American 
navy is rich in example and in remembrance. They are 
a noble company, those among whom Philip was worthily 
numbered when he entered into his rest. 



CHAPTER I 

ANCESTRY — BOYHOOD — ANNAPOLIS 

IT has been a tradition in " Jack " Philip's family 
that one of the line had the distinction of jilt- 
ing George Washington. It is a well-known fact 
that the course of true love did not run smoothly with 
the Father of His Country, in what was probably his 
first attempt at matrimonial entanglement. One branch 
of Admiral Philip's family (and possibly more than one) 
was accustomed to adding a final "se" to the name, 
so that it became Philipse. Owing to some difficulty 
between the Revolutionists and Tories, at the time of our 
struggle for independence, the branch of the family 
from which " Jack " Philip descended dropped the 
superfluous and aristocratic "se" in the name and 
thenceforth became plain democratic Philip. 

It was the bewitching Miss Mary Philipse who won the 
open admiration of George Washington, and, according 
to some accounts, rejected his proffer of marriage. 
Washington Irving, in his Life of George Washington, 
says: "Tradition gives very different motives from those 
of business for his two sojourns in the latter city [New 
York]. He found there an early friend and schoolmate, 
Beverly Robinson, son of John Robinson, Speaker of the 
Virginia House of Burgesses. He was living happily 
and prosperously with a young and wealthy bride, 
having married one of the nieces and heiresses of Mr. 
Adolphus Philipse, a rich landholder, whose manor- 



WASHINGTON AND MISS PHILIPSE 19 

house is still to be seen on the banks of the Hudson. 
At the house of Mr. Beverly Robinson, where Washington 
was an honored guest, he met Miss Mary Philipse, sister 
and co-heiress with Mrs. Robinson, a young lady whose 
personal attractions are said to have rivalled her reputed 
wealth. 

"We have already given an instance of Washington's 
early sensibility to female charms. A life, however, of 
constant activity and care, passed for the most part in 
the wilderness and on the frontier, far from female 
society, had left little mood or leisure for the indulgence 
of the tender sentiment; made him more sensible, in 
the present brief interval of gay and social life, to the 
attractions of an elegant woman, brought up in the 
polite circle of New York. 

"That he was an open admirer of Miss Philipse is 
an historical fact; that he sought her hand, but was 
refused, is traditional, and not very probable. His 
military rank, his early laurels and distinguished pres- 
ence, were all calculated to win favor in female eyes ; but 
his sojourn in New York was brief, he may have been 
diffident in urging his suit with a lady accustomed to 
the homage of society and surrounded by admirers. 
The most probable version of the story is, that he was 
called away by his public duties before he had made 
sufficient approaches in his siege to the lady's heart to 
warrant a summons to surrender." Miss Philipse soon 
afterward married Captain Morris, who, with Washing- 
ton, had been an aide-de-camp under Braddock. 

"Jack" Philip, on his father's side, descended from 
solid Dutch ancestry and from his mother he inherited 
those sterling, Puritanical qualities of New England, 
which have exerted such a powerful influence on the des- 
tiny of this great nation. " Jack's " paternal great grand- 



20 ANCESTRY — BOYHOOD — ANNAPOLIS 

father was Captain George Philipse or Philip, whose father 
came from Holland and settled in Germantown, Co- 
lumbia County, N. Y. The Dutch always did set a 
good example in the matter of increasing and multiply- 
ing — a duty in which "Jack" Philip seems to have 
sadly fallen from grace — so that it is with no surprise 
that we learn that the original American Philip enriched 
his country with six able-bodied and sound-minded 
sons. Four of these, George, William, Henry and 
David — they were satisfied with one Christian name 
apiece in those days — at an early age moved to Claver- 
ack (now in the same county and a venerable seat of 
learning) the first named being the great grandfather 
of Rear-Admiral Philip. 

This George Philip was a captain in the American 
army during the Revolution and served as Commissary 
of Subsistence. He was active not only in state but in 
church affairs, for we are informed that he was one of 
the deacons who signed the call for the Rev. Dr. Gebbard, 
to the Claverack Reformed Dutch Church, and was a 
trustee when the congregation was incorporated, 1782. 

The present pastor of this church, the Rev. John H. 
Wyckoff, says that George Philip "belonged to the 
immortal roll of patriots whose devotion to their country, 
to liberty and to the rights of man cannot be too highly 
eulogized, since it is to them that we owe the possession 
of our free institutions" — a good solid Dutch sentiment, 
and one that cannot be too assiduously kept before the 
minds of our present cosmopolitan generation. 

Captain George Philip married Jane Ostrander, July 
15, 1776 — a month and year glorious in American history. 
They had the local distinction of being the first couple 
united in the holy bonds of matrimony by the venerated 
Dr. Gebbard in his new pastorate. 



philip's early conquest of the dutch 21 

Captain George Philip died in the year 1806, at the 
age of fifty-four. His sixth child, John G. Philip — it 
will be noted that the good folk of this country began 
assuming the middle name about the close of the eight- 
eenth century — was born in 1789 and died in 1834. 

John Henry Philip, son of John G. Philip, and father 
of the rear-admiral, was born in 1811. After receiving 
his rudimentary education in the schools of the neighbor- 
hood he entered Troy Polytechnic School, from which 
he was graduated, and then studied in the Vermont 
Medical College. He married the daughter of Dr. Theo- 
dore Woodward, who, at that time, was professor of 
surgery in the institution and from whom "Jack" Philip 
derived his middle name. John Henry Philip entered 
upon the uneventful practice of a country doctor in 
Columbia County, N. Y., beginning his career in Kinder- 
hook, and moving, in 1843, to Stockport, where he 
remained until 1851, when he returned to Kinderhook. 

Rear-Admiral John Woodward Philip was born in 
Kinderhook, Columbia County, N. Y., August 26, 1840. 
In those days many of the good folk of Columbia County 
spoke two languages, Dutch and Anglo-Dutch — each 
equally distressing to the English ear. The English 
language was held in some contempt. In fact, any 
Kinderhookite who had the temerity to affect broad 
Anglo-Saxon was promptly crushed by a ponderous 
Holland sneer. Seldom was the venture made twice. 
Philip's family, it cannot be denied, strongly favored 
the Hollanders, so we find that our brilliant rear-admiral 
was brought up with the Dutch fairly well conquered. 
All the ordinary conversation in the Philip household 
was carried on in this language. It is related that a 
member of the family who had been " abroad " — that is, 
to New York — on returning home, aroused not a little 



22 ANCESTRY — BOYHOOD — ANNAPOLIS 

ire and contempt among his relatives by "affecting the 
English tongue, " as they were pleased to term it, and 
finally, in self-defense, was compelled to resort to Dutch. 

Kinderhook, during "Jack" Philip's boyhood, was 
an important village. In the estimation of the natives 
it was the seat of an empire. It was here that Martin 
Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States, 
was born, and where he resided when public duty did 
not call him away. The Van Burens and Philips at- 
tended the same church. In those days it was custom- 
ary to build several pews, nearest the pulpit, for the 
special use of notables. The word "pew" but faintly 
pictures to people of this generation the vastness and 
amplitude of these singular structures. The expression 
"box-stall" would better convey the idea to us. The 
Reformed Dutch Church of Kinderhook had two of these 
ponderous pews, veritable chambers, with a fair-sized 
door opening into it and a table in the center around 
which the august family could sit and dream away the 
hours with almost as much immunity from observation 
as if in their own homes. 

No living member of "Jack" Philip's family has 
ventured to relate the tricks "Jack" played on the oc- 
cupants of these awe-inspiring pews, but when we re- 
member that the Philip's family pew directly faced the 
Van Buren "stall" and that "Jack" was bubbling over 
with merriment during the long hour of the sermon, with 
his keen sense of the humorous, it is a foregone conclusion 
that the cannon-ball head of the redoubtable Martin, 
appearing as it must have, just over the top of the stall 
rail, came in for a good share of the persecution which 
could not be properly entered in the sober records of 
the church. 

Like his venerated ancestors who cut off the super- 



SOME BOYHOOD EPISODES 23 

fluous "se" in their name, "Philipse," "Jack" early- 
evinced the strongest dislike for unnecessary frills, fuss, 
furs or feathers. There were, of course, the ubiquitous 
children with a "rich pa" or "ma" in the quaint old 
village of Kinderhook, who delighted in showing their 
affected superiority by wearing fine clothes and in fixing 
their hair just a little bit differently from the " common " 
children. There was one of these "rich boys " who 
especially aroused the contempt of "Jack" Philip. He 
was always "dressed up" — something "Jack" could 
not tolerate in "kids" — and with his long hair carefully 
curled, would strut along the village street with an air 
that was peculiarly exasperating. 

One day Jack's opportunity came. He caught the 
youngster in the fields and holding him fast, filled his 
hair with burrs, rubbing them in so that it became 
necessary to cut off the long tresses. "Jack" was duly 
punished for this "flagrant violation of the rights of a 
neutral," but he stoutly declared that he was more than 
satisfied with the situation, as the youth never again 
dared to allow his hair to grow long. 

Mrs. Wheelock, in her interesting article on her brother, 
Admiral Philip, mentions his having worn kilt skirts. 
The rest of Jack's costume in early childhood is revealed 
in a story which comes from another source. Like 
most of the well-seasoned Dutch boys of the village, 
"Jack" wore a loose blouse, gathered at the waist — 
and thereby hangs a tale. 

Noticing that some chickens had dug a hole under a 
fence that separated him from an orchard of ripe fruit, 
he reasoned on the lines of the celebrated Darius Green, 
who said: "If birds can fly, why can't I," and asked: 
"If chickens can dig a hole under a fence to a peach 
orchard, why can't I?" And forthwith "Jack" en- 



24 ANCESTRY — BOYHOOD — ANNAPOLIS 

larged the hole sufficiently to enable him to enter tne 
desired enclosure. In a jiffy he had filled his blouse 
with creamy peaches, the gather at his waist enabling 
him to stow away several quarts of them. 

All went well until "Jack" had started to return, when 
the owner of the orchard hove in sight and gave chase. 
"Jack" made a dive for the improved chicken-hole. 
But here his poor generalship was demonstrated — he 
had not adequately provided for his retreat, for, while 
he had dug the hole big enough to admit his body, he 
had not counted on the substantial enlargement round 
his waist caused by the peaches under his blouse. The 
upshot of the whole affair was that "Jack" "got stuck" 
when half way under the fence, so that the irate owner 
of the crushed peaches had him at a painful disadvantage. 

There was nothing extraordinary in "Jack" Philip's 
early education. At the proper age he attended the 
celebrated Kinderhook Academy, and did the usual 
"home work" at nights with the light of camphine or 
sperm oil lamps. That the lad, however, had an un- 
usually bright and receptive mind is shown in the manner 
in which he "appointed himself" to the Naval Academy. 
An uncle, Peter I. Philip, in those days was one of the 
School Committee of the village. There being a va- 
cancy in the Naval Academy, the Congressman for the 
district, Killean Miller, wrote to Uncle Peter inquiring 
for some bright boy suitable for the place. It happened 
that "Jack" was dining with his uncle when this letter 
was read and the youngster quickly asked: "Uncle 
Peter, do you think that I could fill the place?" Peter 
said yes, and "Jack" was finally selected. 

That there's many a slip 'twixt consent and ap- 
pointment was singularly illustrated in the case of 
"Jack" Philip. As we have seen, the selection of young 




q 



8 

1 



S3 



" jack's" narrow escape 25 

Philip was satisfactory both to Uncle Peter and Con- 
gressman Miller — and what greater powers were there 
on earth than these two mighty men of Kinderhook? 
There were no competitive examinations in those days, 
and save for the entrance ordeal at Annapolis young 
Philip was "as good as" there. Therefore, it was 
openly announced that "Jack" was going to Annapolis 
and after having received, with all due modesty, the 
usual congratulations, he set about counting the days 
to come before the Academy would open its doors to 
new comers. As yet no official notice had reached him — 
but that did not worry him, in fact, it was the merest 
trifle after Uncle Peter and "Kill" Miller had "settled" 
the matter. 

It was within a day or so of his time for starting that 
this "merest trifle" (the official appointment) began to 
assume alarming proportions, for without it his trip to 
Annapolis would be useless and the alternate would, 
without doubt, get the prize. Much distressed by the 
unaccountable oversight of the President in this grave 
affair of state, "Jack" was disconsolately stubbing his 
toes along the village street, almost convinced that his 
opportunity for entering the navy was gone forever, 
when he chanced to notice in the gutter a large envelope 
where it had been, apparently, many days, greatly 
soiled with water and mud. Picking it up he was as- 
tonished to find that it was addressed to himself, and 
on opening it found that it was the long-expected ap- 
pointment. Whether that letter was intentionally lost 
by some over-anxious relative or whether it was ma- 
liciously mislaid, Philip never was able to ascertain; in 
any event it all ended well and "Jack" Philip was ap- 
pointed to the Naval Academy September 20, 1856. 

The arrival of newcomers at Annapolis each year is 



26 ANCESTRY — BOYHOOD — ANNAPOLIS 

watched by the upper classmen with an interest the 
plebian can never hope to understand. In these days, 
when steam and electricity have brought all parts of 
the country into the closest touch, the styles of dress, 
habits and customs of the people are very generally 
alike; but at the time "Jack" Philip knocked at An- 
napolis' gate he found there congregated a curious as- 
semblage of would-be naval heroes, dressed in as many 
fantastic styles as the length and breadth of the land 
afforded. Those were days when stage coaches were 
commoner than railroad trains, when to get beyond the 
borders of your native county — and to return alive — 
was a matter of public rejoicing, when the man who 
touched a telegraph key was deemed to be in unholy 
communication with the evil one, and when people in 
each separate state, county and village dressed in what- 
soever manner that seemed good in their own particular 
eyes. 

No wonder, then, that at the annual opening of the 
Naval Academy, the upper classmen gathered to see the 
"sights" that had drifted in from all the nooks and 
corners of South, North, West, East and Midland to 
present their credentials at Uncle Sam's navy school. 
Coming from the more central state of New York, and 
having been in closer touch with the metropolis, we can 
imagine that "Jack" Philip — though, doubtlessly savor- 
ing somewhat of the Dutch at Kinderhook — did not 
present the entirely original appearance of, for instance, 
the appointee from Alligator Bayou, Louisiana, or Dead 
Horse Gulch, out West, or Codfish ville, "Way de-own 
East." 

At all events we know that "Jack" immediately 
became a favorite with the instructors and classmen 
alike. One of his chums at the naval school says: 



"bluffing" a professor 27 

" Rear- Admiral Philip, known to his class and afterward 
throughout the service, as Jack Philip, was one of the 
best all-around fellows in his class. He was a favorite 
not only in his own class, but in all the classes while he 
was in the academy. At times Jack was 'sly, devilish 
sly, sir/ for he could create a sensation in the class-room 
by getting his section in a roar of laughter while he sat 
with as stolid a countenance as an Indian. Jack re- 
ceived more demerits for one particular offense than 
any one of the class. It was almost daily that he was 
on Conduct Report for 'loud laughing' in the mess-hall. 
I remember on one occasion when two of his elassmates 
were walking down Stribling Row with one of the famous 
beauties of Annapolis, the lady heard of Jack's bash- 
fulness and said that she would like to meet him. As 
they happened to be near his room, the two classmates 
went in and brought him out by sheer force and intro- 
duced him to the fair one. But just as soon as they re- 
leased their hold — Jack sloped. 

" Another story about Jack was how he bluffed a pro- 
fessor. In those days the sections were very large and 
the instructors few, so that it was impossible for each 
middy to recite every day. The fellows figured out the 
days on which they were likely to be called and pre- 
pared that lesson and neglected the others. On this 
occasion we had a new professor who did not under- 
stand the situation. Jack had been called on for three 
days in succession, so he felt safe from further recitation 
for the rest of that week. The fourth day, as soon as 
the section was seated, the professor said: 'Mr. Philip, 
you will recite.' Jack stood up, turned red from his 
neck up, but finally recovered sufficiently to calmly ask: 
'Professor, have you not made some mistake? I have 
recited three days this week, while some of these fellows 



28 ANCESTRY — BOYHOOD — ANNAPOLIS 

have not recited at all.' The professor quietly referred 
to his record-book and said: 'Mr. Philip, I beg your 
pardon, you are quite right. You may take your seat.' 
The professor could not account for the commotion in 
the section room." 

Although later in life he may have changed his mind 
on the subject of hazing, "Jack" Philip fully committed 
himself to the practice while in school, for one of his 
friends tells how, one night, he led a hazing party which 
had for its object a specially unpopular midshipman. 
They literally made him "take up his bed and walk" — 
it was a feather-bed — and gaining a secluded spot gave 
him a coat of tar and then, rjpping open the bed, rolled 
him in the feathers. 

One of the instructors at Annapolis during "Jack's" 
novitiate was a greatly beloved man whose only fault — 
so the middies declared — was that of stammering when 
unusually excited or nervous. One beautiful spring 
morning, when the middies were drilling in infantry 
tactics under the care of this officer, the youngsters 
were marching toward the sea-wall and were within a 
few feet of it when their commander endeavored to 
give the order "Halt!" The middies heard the hissing 
and spluttering noise behind them and knew perfectly 
well what the instructor was trying to say, but, in that 
spirit of mischief so natural with boys, they marched 
right over the sea-wall and waded into a considerable 
depth of water before the instructor finally gave vent 
to the word "Halt!" 

Very few laymen appreciate the severity of discipline 
to which these budding seamen are subjected during the 
four years of their stay at Annapolis. Demerit marks 
were freely given, and when the number reached above 
two hundred the middy was dismissed. "Jack" Philip 



AS AN EXPERT SMOKER 29 

had the distinction of incurring two hundred and twenty- 
one demerit marks, brought on principally by /'loud 
laughing/' smoking and in endeavoring to cover the 
shortcomings of others — and, had it not been for his 
sterling good qualities, he undoubtedly would have been 
dismissed. As it was, Commodore Craven, then Super- 
intendent, on receiving "Jack's" promise to mend his 
ways, very graciously " called it one hundred and ninety- 
nine." 

And while we are on the subject of smoking it will be 
well to give the testimony of a shipmate of Philip, Chief 
Engineer Edward Biddle Latch, now retired. Mr. 
Latch says : " Among the reminiscences of the late Rear- 
Admiral Philip I think that his meerschaum pipe, with 
a big dent in it, should not be neglected. Besides being 
an excellent pipe it was a souvenir of the civil war; the 
dent, I think he said, befell it while he was attached to the 
monitor Montauk. Anyhow, it was the only pipe, with 
one exception, he smoked in the three years' cruise of the 
Wachusett, and many and many are the associations 
that cling about it. As an expert in blowing rings I 
never saw his equal. By some peculiarity known only 
to himself he would puff out a dense volume of smoke 
when, suddenly, a huge ring would emerge from it, 
reminding one of the occasionals that spring from a 
nine-inch gun or from the smoke pipe of a locomotive. 
A picture of that pipe, together with the mysterious 
paraphernalia which are supposed to accompany such 
things, would seem like a visible presence of an old friend 
to scores and scores of brother officers." 

It is a matter of some interest to note that on leaving 
Annapolis, "Jack" Philip began his first active service 
in Uncle Sam's navy in that grand old frigate, Consti- 
tution. Shortly afterward he was transferred to the 



30 ANCESTRY — BOYHOOD — ANNAPOLIS 

Santee, and having been promoted to the rank of acting- 
master he was ordered to the sloop of war Marion, of the 
Gulf Blockading Squadron. He had been in this ship 
only a short time when he was attached to the Sonoma, 
of the James River Fleet. On July 16, 1862, Philip 
was commissioned a lieutenant, and from September, 
1862, to January, 1865, he was executive officer of the 
Chippewa, Pawnee and of the monitor Montauk in suc- 
cession, these vessels being actively engaged in the naval 
operations connected with the siege of Charleston. It 
was while he was in the Pawnee that Philip received his 
first serious wound, the attending circumstances of 
which are fully detailed in Admiral Balch's article. 
On being detached from the blockading force off Charles- 
ton, Philip was sent to the Wachusett as executive officer, 
that ship being ordered on a three years' cruise in the 
Far East. The Wachusett left Boston early in March, 
the career of the young officer being largely followed 
in his own private journal which begins in Chapter III. 



CHAPTER II 

Philip's first taste of war 
Rear-Admiral George Beall Batch, U. S. N. 

I HAVE been asked to contribute an anecdotal sketch 
of the late Rear-Admiral John W. Philip, so far as 
it relates to the civil war and to his services in the U. 
S. ship Pawnee under my command. He was then a lieu- 
tenant and executive officer in that ship, and ever 
evinced the truest patriotism as well as love for the 
service. His shipmates and comrades throughout the 
navy need not be told that he was beloved and admired 
by all as the embodiment of a gallant and brave officer, 
ready at all times for any duty. 

During the year of her service in Stono River, South 
Carolina, the duty of the Pawnee was to protect the in- 
terests of the Government, and the indefatigable efforts 
of our Southern brethren to destroy her were often 
shown. These had expression in the action of July 16, 
1863, at which time the Pawnee was, with other naval 
vessels, covering the troops under General Terry, and on 
the day above named a simultaneous attack was made 
on the troops and naval vessels by two batteries on 
James Island — the batteries being distant (by Confed- 
erate accounts) three hundred and fifty yards. 

It is not surprising that the Pawnee was hit forty-six 
times in the fight; but strange to say only a few were 
wounded, among whom was the subject of this sketch, 
John W. Philip, executive officer, who was struck by a 



32 philip's first taste of war 

splinter and knocked ten feet across the deck. But with 
that invincible pluck which was characteristic of him he 
kept on in the fight and I noticed, with pride in our 
noble profession, that his wound did not interfere with 
his work, for he coolly went aft and fired off one of the 
9-inch guns which had had the lock shot away; and 
after the action he went and counted the hits, forty-six, 
as he reported to me. I observed during the fight that 
Philip had been injured, but the hot fire we were under 
did not permit the usual civilities of the day, as our duty 
was in the action then taking place. 

It may be of some interest, as connected with the 
movements of the army under General Terry, to state 
that on that day it was expressed to me by him (Terry) 
that we (meaning the naval force under my command) 
had saved them; a fact of which I had no doubt, and 
to my gallant and efficient executive I felt much in- 
debted for this result. 

In these days of battleships and protected armor ves- 
sels it may not be out of place to state that after the 
action of July 16, 1863, there were swept up from the 
deck of the Pawnee enough splinters to cook breakfast 
for two hundred and fifty men. This is mentioned as 
showing a startling difference between the system then 
existing and that of the present time. 

Although having no connection with our service to- 
gether it has often afforded me great satisfaction to re- 
peat an anecdote of Philip, who on noticing the inscrip- 
tions "Rebel trophies" in the New York Navy Yard, 
said: "I don't like that, there are no rebels now." 
This shows his largeness of heart, and that however 
sturdy a fighter he may have been in the war, now that 
it was over, he bore no ill-will to them who had been 
lately arrayed against him. 




Midshipman John W. Philip, 1861. 



SHE WAS NOT " RECONSTRUCTED " 33 

On board the Pawnee it was often the occasion of merri- 
ment when ladies visited the ship that, at these times, 
it was the habit of Philip (owing to his great diffidence) 
to dodge the fair visitors by going fishing — and as they 
were being received on board, on one side of the ship, 
Philip would disappear over the other side. 

A short time before Philip passed to his reward I re- 
ceived a letter from him, in reply to one I had written 
him, expressing my satisfaction with his distinguished 
services during the Spanish War, recalling our service 
together in the Pawnee. He told me of an interesting 
episode he had had while in command of the New York. 
A lady and gentleman were stopping at the same hotel 
with him, whom he invited to visit a modern man of war. 
The invitation being accepted, they were received by 
Captain Philip, who showed them over the ship, giving 
them an opportunity to inspect the guns, machinery and 
everything likely to interest strangers. They then ad- 
journed to the cabin, where cake and wine were set be- 
fore them — the lady remarking to her husband: "How 
strange it is that we should be on board a Yankee man 
of war," for it must in candor be stated that they had 
not been reconstructed and were from Charleston, S. C. 
She added that she would never be reconstructed until 
she had met an officer from "that hateful old Pawnee," 
and could give him a piece of her mind. 

Philip said: "Oh, it is a long time since then and all 
feeling should be past and gone." 

But the lady still asserted that she would not be 
satisfied until she had had the opportunity to speak her 
mind. Then Philip said that if she would promise to be 
as pleasant to the officer as she had always been to him 
he might present one to her — and she promised. He 
then rose and stated that he had been executive officer 



34 philip's first taste of war 

of the Pawnee. And he asked her if there was a St. 
Michael's Church in Charleston. 

"Yes," said the lady, "and we lived right opposite." 

To this Philip replied: "Well, we used to make the 
steeple of that church our target!" 

As commander of the Pawnee it may be proper for me 
to say that making a target of St. Michael's spire 
is a very good story, even if not true. It is needless to 
add that this revelation of his identity with the Pawnee 
did not alter the feelings of the lady toward Captain 
Philip, as she had been entirely won over by his kindness 
and gallantry. 

But to return to our service together in the good old 
ship. The exigencies of the service called him from the 
Pawnee to other duties, and from that time I have never 
failed to watch his course through all the intervening 
years, and have had cause, many times, to exult in his 
fame and to remember the days we served together. 
But alas, my dear friend and comrade has been taken 
from his host of admirers and is waiting the last call. 

"How sleep the brave who sink to rest 
By all their country's wishes blest." 



CHAPTER III 

OFF ON HIS FIRST LONG CRUISE 

AS Captain Mahan has well said, in his Introduction 
to this work, " Jack" Philip was not an ordinary 
* man. This is especially apparent to any one 
who reads the diary kept by Philip during his cruise in 
the Far East, 1865-68. Frequently the daily record of 
a protracted cruise in a war ship becomes a monotonous 
entry of weather conditions, number of knots logged, 
an occasional burial at sea etc., details of little or no in- 
terest to the average reader and valuable in an historical 
sense only as they confirm the time or place of a ship's 
itinerary in some episode of national importance. There 
is, necessarily, some of this "dead matter" in the diary 
of "Jack" Philip, but the writer has endeavored to 
eliminate it, so as to leave only those bright, witty and 
thoroughly human observations which were so char- 
acteristic of the man Philip. 

The Wachusett, the ship in which Philip made his 
three years' cruise in the Far East, was one of the prom- 
inent war craft in our struggle with the South. She 
was a sister to the famous Kearsarge, a wooden steam 
frigate with a detachable propeller, carrying nine guns 
and a complement of one hundred and seventy men. 
It was when the Confederate commerce destroyer Florida 
put into the Brazilian port of Bahia, October, 1864, 
that the Wachusett (then under the orders of Com- 
mander Napoleon Collins) deliberately ran under the 



36 ' OFF ON HIS FIRST LONG CRUISE 

nose of a Brazilian corvette— stationed expressly for 
the purpose of protecting the Confederate ship — smashed 
into the Florida and after firing several shots, com- 
pelled her surrender. Taking his prize in tow, Collins 
carried her to the United States. 

Of course this act was a flagrant violation of the 
rights of a neutral port — but no more so than many 
England and France were guilty of in the same war — 
and it was promptly disavowed by our government; 
but before the Florida could be restored to the Brazilians 
she was " conveniently " (as some writers have expressed 
it) sunk, so that her usefulness as a destroyer of Uncle 
Sam's commerce was ended. The Brazilian govern- 
ment, very properly, was highly indignant over the 
affair and issued an edict prohibiting the wicked War 
chusett — under direst penalties — from again darkening 
Brazilian waters with her shadow. How, like an 
avenging Nemesis, this prohibition brought about a 
serious, and even perilous condition aboard the Wa- 
chusett, on the cruise in which Philip served in her, is 
interestingly described by the hero in his journal. 

To the average landsman so little is known of the 
romance, daily peril and personal adventures of our 
naval officers while at sea, that the writer feels justified 
in giving a larger measure of Philip's diary than would 
ordinarily be advisable. This is the more appropriate 
in view of the fact that Philip's inspiring conduct in the 
naval battle of Santiago has peculiarly endeared him 
to the American people, so that they have a praiseworthy 
interest in the details of his private life which are so 
engagingly set forth in his diary. 

Before entering upon the incidents of Philip's ex- 
periences in the long cruise in the Wachusett it will be 
well to give a list of her officers as they appear on a fly 



''sporting blood" in the wachusett 37 

leaf of his journal. Many of these names are familiar 
to older officers in the navy to-day. Her commander 
was Robert Townsend, and the executive officer was 
the then Lieutenant Philip; and it may here be noted 
that Philip filled the most trying and difficult office 
there is aboard a war ship engaged in active cruising. 
The other officers, as given in Philip's diary, were : W. M. 
King, surgeon; William Bogert Newman and Thomas 
B. Grove, acting masters; J. C. Pegram, ensign; Ben- 
jamin Haskins, acting ensign; Edward H. Sears, acting 
assistant-paymaster; Edward Biddle Latch, M. H. 
Knapp, Edward Lincoln, J. H. Barton, W. M. Senss, 
J. M. Brown and Joseph Forbes, engineers; Paul At- 
kinson and James Russell, boatswain and gunner; R. 
Rich, James Kelly and Joseph Moran, acting master's 
mates; Samuel Townsend, captain's clerk; Robert 
Thomas, paymaster's clerk. In all there were two 
hundred and two souls aboard the Wachusett when she 
sailed. 

That there was some "sporting blood" among the 
officers of this gallant ship is indicated by the fact that 
Philip gives up the second page of his journal to the 
" guesses" they made relative to the duration of their 
cruise. The entry is as follows: "The Wachusett sailed 
from Boston, March 5, 1865. The officers think that 
she will return on the following dates" : 



Mr. Newman October 13, 1867 

Mr. Grove October 13, 1868 

Mr. Pegram December 20, 1867 

Mr. Latch October 20, 1867 

Mr. Sears December 20, 1868 

Dr. King April 20, 1868 

Mr. Haskins March 15, 1868 

Philip June 20, 1867 



38 OFF ON HIS FIRST LONG CRUISE 

As a matter of fact the Wachusett arrived at New 
York, on her return from the Far East, January 29, 
1868, so that Mr. Pegram is entitled to the credit of 
having come nearest to the date. But here, at the 
very outset, we have an illustration of Philip's fighting 
capacity. Even in the matter of a guess he was un- 
willing to admit defeat, for on the last page of his journal 
he records that his guess was "miscalculated," he having 
intended the date given by him, "June 20, 1867," as 
the time of the ship's arrival at Shanghai, China. But 
even in this "miscalculation" he found little comfort, 
for the Wachusett arrived at Shanghai April 24, 1866, 
some fourteen months before the date of Philip's pre- 
diction. 

We will now proceed with the private journal of 
"Jack" Philip, the writer taking the liberty of making 
some condensation. 

philip's journal of a cruise. 

Mar. 1st, 1865. — The ship [Wachusett] still lying alongside of 
the wharf at the lower end of the [Boston Navy] Yard. About 
10 a. m. the draft of men came aboard from the receiving ship 
Ohio and with them our duties began in regular order. About 
3 p. m. we hauled out from the wharf and anchored in the stream 
off the Ohio. 

Mar. 2d. — Cold and rainy all the time, but busy in getting the 
ship ready for sea. I was engaged in berthing and organizing 
the ship's company into watches, quarters and stations. On the 
4th expected to sail every hour, but small things would arise to 
delay us, and I went on shore in the afternoon to bid farewell to 
the kind friends I had become acquainted with during my short 
stay in the "Hub of the Universe." On returning to the ship 
in the evening, with spirits very much depressed, I came to the 
conclusion that going to sea was well enough to talk about while 
comfortably situated and surrounded by pleasant companions 
and friends on shore, but the stern reality was not so pleasant; 



WAIL OF AN EXECUTIVE OFFICER 39 

and I was for the time being very sorry that I had chosen the 
naval service for my profession. 

Mar. 5th. — This day dawned remarkably clear and pleasant for 
this season of the year in Boston and so continued throughout 
the day. About 10 a. m. orders came to the commander to "get 
under way as soon as possible and carry out the instructions of 
the Navy Department." The pilot came on board and every- 
thing was put in motion to get the ship started on her long cruise ; 
all the officers and sailors were eager to "be off," but of course 
some of us were exceedingly sorry to break off the pleasant as- 
sociations that had been formed on shore, and to form new and 
not such pleasant ones in foreign lands. 

The ship was surrounded by small boats containing the mothers, 
wives, sisters and sweethearts of some of the sailor men, all asking 
permission to "come on board" and see their Tom, Dick and 
Harry before the ship sailed. But of course I had to turn my 
ear and heart from them and give them the stereotyped answer: 
"No, I am sorry, but you can't come on board"; and, perhaps, 
receive a cry or sniffle in return and perhaps be called a cold- 
hearted wretch! And this all for attending to the required duty 
as the executive officer! ! 

About 5 p. m. we called "all hands to up anchor," and really 
made the commencement of the cruise — to where I now cannot 
tell. On "breaking ground" and starting ahead with the engines, 
the crew of the Ohio gave us three long and welcome cheers for a 
pleasant and happy cruise and to return home in safety. We 
steamed down the harbor very nicely and took our last view of 
Boston for some months to come. About 7 p. m. we passed Fort 
Warren with its brave garrison and a few Confederate prisoners 
on its parapets, and a few minutes afterward we discharged the 
pilot, sending our last letters with him, and then headed the old 
Wachusett seaward, rang "four bells" [full speed] and shotted the 
guns fore and aft. 

At sunset the sky was most beautiful over the land and every- 
thing seemed to smile upon us as we were fast dropping our native 
land beneath the western horizon. How many of us will live to 
see it again? The Lord alone knows, but all, I sincerely hope; 
for we are too nicely situated at present to be broken up. 

Mar. 6th. — Clear, pleasant and cold. The ship under steam 
and plain sail heading eastward to clear St. George's Bank. There 



40 OFF ON HIS FIRST LONG CRUISE 

being quite a sea on and the ship rolling very deep and heavily 
an unusual number of the officers and men are down with sea- 
sickness. They all are to be pitied but cannot be helped. [It is 
said on good authority that "Jack" Philip never was seasick. 
E. S. M.] Having so many seasick ones aboard I did not attempt 
to exercise the crew. 

One sail in sight to-day, under all sail and heading in for Bos- 
ton. How I wished that I was on board, just returning from a 
cruise, so that I might again visit my home on the Hudson ! 

Mar. 7th. — Much warmer to-day, as we have cleared St. George's 
Bank and are in the Gulf Stream in the latitude of the city of New 
York. The ship is rolling extremely deep and heavy to-day, much 
to the discomfort of the officers, for we are obliged at mess to 
hold our soup dishes etc., in our hands and to keep time with the 
roll of the ship, and although having large racks around our mess- 
table and taking all the extra precautions, we have been obliged 
to sacrifice a large amount of crockery and small stores — just 
because the ship will roll about and not keep steady ! 

I think that the man who wrote "Life on the Ocean Wave" 
was anything but sane or rational, for if he had been in his right 
frame of mind he never would have misused our English language 
in the style he did. I have heard several officers to-day wish for 
the author of that piece, to be dropped overboard for misapplying 
words in so bad a manner. 

To-day I tried to exercise the men at the broadside guns, but 
made only a starting, to be completed and perfected during the 
cruise. A few sail in sight, all being honest Yankee traders bound 
home and we did not trouble them. In the evening, feeling quite 
low spirited again, as the shades of night began to approach, I 
passed a long time in Pegram's stateroom, where we talked over 
our hard luck and the misfortune of being a naval officer in Uncle 
Sam's service; and made several resolutions some of which I am 
fearful I cannot keep in case I do return to the United States in 
safety. 

Mar. 8th. — To-day we were all in excellent spirits, for it being 
a lovely spring day, with the sea unusually smooth and seasick- 
ness almost gone, we seemed to have changed ourselves into other 
beings. Instead of being downcast and troubled with homesick- 
ness, we seemed to be enchanted with the sailor's life and eager 
for the cruise, and now would not turn back for anything. Yet 




s; 



§ 



Cfi C 



"IF BERMUDA LETS YOU PASS!" 41 

to-morrow, if we should happen to have a gale with a rough sea, 
we would, no doubt, change our minds and again wish ourselves 
on shore. Thus it is with most naval officers; one day, when it is 
beautiful, they are "dead in love" with their profession, but as 
soon as a gale comes on, any of us would be willing to exchange 
places with any hackman or stage driver on land. But fair weather 
cannot last always, no more than the smiles of the fair ones are 
allowed to remain on our memory. 

To-day busy in cleaning the ship fore and aft and exercising 
a green but willing crew at the great guns. 

Mar. 9th. — Delightfully warm and pleasant for a day in March 
and the sea is again unusually smooth; but as we are now below 
the latitude of Cape Hatteras and approaching Bermuda I think 
that we can expect our good weather to desert us and in its place 
receive a succession of gales and rain until we are well to the south 
of these islands. In coming from the south and heading north- 
ward, the old man -of war's man has a saying that: "If Bermuda 
lets you pass, then look out for Cape Hatteras." Now whether 
this will apply to ships bound southward I cannot say, but I hope 
it is a sailor's rule that will not "work both ways," for we have 
passed Hatteras with scarcely enough air stirring to make it 
agreeable, and as we have yet to pass Bermuda I hope that the 
clerk will postpone his visit in our latitude for days to come. 

Have been busy all day stationing and exercising the ship's 
company at the great guns. Nothing in sight, so we are obliged 
to entertain ourselves the best we can. Once in a while some 
member of the mess would bring up the good times we had on 
shore, only a few days back, and start us in a homesick mood. 
Consequently all such conversation has been ruled out of the mess 
until we are again accustomed to the lonely sea life. 

Mar. 10th. — Clear and very pleasant all day. In the morning 
we had a delightful breeze from the east, and we were in hopes 
that we had at last reached the northern limits of the "trade 
winds " and then be able to make faster time than we have yet 
done. But toward noon the wind died away and then came out 
directly ahead and fresh, so that at the present time we are not 
logging one-half what we have been doing. So much for hopes 
on the water! You can scarcely tell one hour what the next will 
bring forth! ! 

On leaving Boston we anticipated going either to Madeira or to 



42 OFF ON HIS FIRST LONG CRUISE 

the Cape de Verdes for coal but on getting outside of St. George's 
Bank and seeing the ship heading southward, instead of eastward, 
I asked the captain : " Where the present course would take us for 
coal, provided we continued standing on the same?" He then 
informed me that before leaving Boston he had decided to coal in 
the West Indies and then go to St. Helena, and hearing that the 
Confederate cruiser Shenandoah was at the island of Martinique 
he had concluded to go there on our way out, in hopes that we 
might fall in with her. 

So we are now on our way to Martinique and are below Bermuda; 
but nothing has yet appeared in sight that at all resembles the 
commerce destroyer. Although having a new and green crew, 
we are all anxious to meet the Shenandoah, and although we might 
not make so pretty a fight as our sister ship the Kearsarge did 
in the English Channel, yet we are confident that we would not 
disgrace the Wachusett's fair name and would rid the seas of an- 
other destroyer. I would not so soon boast if I had not the greatest 
confidence in the true blood of our Yankee crew. 

Mar. 11th. — This day extremely warm and sultry for this season 
of the year, but not for the latitude the ship is in. It seems quite 
strange to be able to wear summer clothing when, in less than a 
week, we were all bundled up in furs and great coats. 

To-day passed two sails, both Yankee brigs bound to the north 
under all drawing sail. They seemed to be rather nervous when 
we steamed toward them, and no doubt, with the careers of the 
different Confederate cruisers fresh in their memories, scenes of 
confiscation and burning ran through their minds. But seeing us 
pass without offering to molest them, they no doubt felt relieved, 
and were thankful that we, too, were Yankees and not of the 
tribe of the Alabama or Florida. 

Passed a large bale of cotton floating in the water, but did not 
pick it up. No doubt it was a portion of the cargo of some English 
blockade runner which had escaped the vigilance of our blockaders 
off Charleston or Wilmington in days when the Southerners still 
held those ports. Passed the day in the usual man of war's Sat- 
urday style, i. e., in getting ship's company ready for Sunday 
inspection. 

Mar. 12th. — To-day, Sunday, was a beautiful summer's day. 
The sea was as calm and smooth as a mill pond, of course with 
the exception of the gentle and graceful swell setting in from the 



SAILORS NEVER SATISFIED 43 

northeast. At 10 a. m. we carefully inspected the ship and her 
crew of bluejackets. Considering that it was the first Sunday 
" Off the guards " they made a very fine appearance, which pleased 
our captain very much and he remarked, in passing down the line, 
that " With the present crew I would be very glad to fall in with 
the Shenandoah or any of her sister ships." 

After inspection the captain read divine service to the of- 
ficers and men assembled aft on the quarter deck for that purpose; 
afterward "mustered all hands" around the capstan and "piped 
down.'' The usual routine of work for a man of war being over 
for the day [Sunday] the men were allowed to smoke and the of- 
ficers passed the time either on deck or below, in little groups, 
reading or writing. 

If the sea could always remain as it has all day and we had 
nothing but fine, fast steamers, there would be no profession so 
fine and enchanting as that of a seafaring man. But in a few days, 
if gales should overtake us, then we would all change our minds in 
regard to life and profession, and all wish themselves quietly 
settled ashore. So we change, with the weather, from praise to 
fault-finding, and, sailor-like, are never satisfied with our lot as it 
is dealt out to us. 

We are fast approaching the tropics and are in great hopes of 
falling in with the northeast trade winds very soon, as our coal is 
getting rather low and we are obliged to economize ; we have about 
nine hundred miles to run before we will be able to replenish the 
supply. We are compelled to run at reduced speed, and when in 
the trades can set our sails and go into port independently of our 
engines. A large amount of Gulf and seaweed in sight, but of 
course, did not stop to pick up any of it. 

Mar. 13th. — We are at last in the trades, having struck them 
in the night, and they are blowing about as hard as we desire for 
the present. It has been beautiful all day, the sea quite smooth 
and the ship logging twelve knots under less than half steam. Al- 
though having such a fine breeze we are unable to carry all sail, 
for as we were about to give her all the port studding-sails we dis- 
covered that the head of the fore topmast and jibboom were 
sprung, so that instead of making more sail we were obliged to re- 
duce it by taking in the topgallant sails and flying-jib, in order 
to save our spars until we reach port. Fortunately for us, we 
brought out a spare set of spars for use in the next three years, but 



44 OFF ON HIS FIRST LONG CRUISE 

had no idea we would need them so soon. And now we will be 
detained in Martinique until these are rigged — but it's " all in the 
cruise!" 

The bilge water being quite offensive to-day we started the men, 
directly after breakfast, at the bilges and storerooms, fore and aft, 
to clean them out and whitewash them again, which is our only 
remedy for this obnoxious and sickening smell. We are in hopes 
to subdue it in a few days. 

To-day we crossed the tropic of Cancer and are now fairly in the 
torrid zone, and wear summer clothing while our friends at home 
are still huddled up in their great coats and furs. To-night we are 
only four hundred and ninety miles from Martinique, but I wish 
it was only that from China, with the expectation of getting letters 
at the end of that short journey — how much happier we all would 
feel. 

A flying fish came on board this evening and I will have him 
for my breakfast in the morning. I suppose he was misled by 
seeing a light on deck and was thus entrapped. 

Mar. 14th. — Trade winds blowing very fresh from the north and 
east. Ship averaging nine knots under very little sail and no 
steam, having stopped the engines and disconnected the propeller. 
During the afternoon we had two or three heavy rain squalls and 
quite a large water spout was in sight to windward. It not being 
near enough to be dangerous we did not fire at it, as is generally 
the custom on board any vessel having a gun. They are extremely 
dangerous to open vessels, when at too close quarters, and a gun 
is fired so that either the shot or the concussion will burst it, and 
let the immense body of water fall harmlessly into the sea instead 
of on a ship's deck. 

Employed the time to-day getting up preventer back stays for 
the fore and main topmasts, so that they will stand until we can 
reach port and replace them with new ones. Exercised the crew 
at great guns, cleaned storerooms, etc., and exercised well the 
blacklisters at the pumps. [The "blacklisters" were sailors 
whose misconduct had caused them to be placed on the blacklist. 
As punishment they were assigned to all the disagreeable work 
of the ship. E. S. M.] 

Mar. 15th. — Extremely warm but quite pleasant all day, the 
ship sailing along very comfortably but rolling very heavily. 
Exercised the crew at the great guns, but was obliged to secure 



LAND HO! 45 

the 100-pounder rifles for fear of losing them overboard when the 
ship made her leeward rolls. 

At 1 p. m., being satisfied with her performance under sail alone, 
and that very much reduced, we connected the propeller and 
started ahead with the engines, so as to take it easily and get into 
Martinique some time to-morrow forenoon. 

At sunset we sighted land from the masthead, which proved to 
be a little island northeast of Guadeloupe. It is a low, rocky 
island and can be seen at the distance of fifty-seven miles. We 
will pass it to-night and steer directly for Martinique, hoping that 
to-morrow evening, this time, we will be on shore in St. Pierre 
enjoying ourselves after the first stretch of our cruise, and pre- 
paring for the second or longest and most disagreeable portion 
of the trip to China. 

Large schools of flying fish in sight to-day, but could not catch 
any. 

(Philip's Journal continued in Chapter V.) 



CHAPTER IV 

AS SEEN BY HIS SISTER 

Mary Philip Wheelock 

YOU break my back. I wonder if by and by you 
will break my heart. " These words fell from 
the lips of a petite young mother as she lifted 
her sturdy two-year-old son into her lap from the ground 
where he had been playing. Nearly half a century has 
passed since the eyes of the fair questioner were closed 
on the face of her eldest born, and her ears became deaf 
to any answer that Time might have brought to her. 

We, who have been witnesses of the almost innum- 
erable testimonials of loving admiration and tender 
regret after the sudden death of Rear-Admiral Philip, 
believe that all the maternal desires and ambitions 
would have been satisfied ; none of the anxious fears and 
forebodings realized — two possibilities that must in- 
evitably confront the mind of every conscientious parent 
when a little baby-life is launched on this world's tur- 
bulent sea. 

Descended on the paternal side from rugged Holland 
ancestors whose names appear among those of our 
Revolutionary heroes, and from hardy New England, 
Puritanical stock on his mother's side of the house, no 
wonder that "Jack" Philip early developed marked 
fighting propensities and that reports are still extant 
of how he and his brother disturbed family prayers with 
their fisticuffs long before either child had substituted 



A CURBLESS WELL 47 

trousers for kilt skirts. Doubtless there are still living 
some people belonging to his native village whose mem- 
ories will supply instances of his undisputed local fame 
in the same direction, and of the mischievous lad full 
of pranks, of grit and cleverness — just a duplicate of 
many another wide-awake American boy. 

A curbless well near his father's barn, usually pro- 
tected by heavy planks, one day had been carelessly 
left open. "Wood," as he was then called, had failed 
to notice the omission, and instead of quietly leading 
"Old Grey" into the stable, as he was expected to do, 
he enveloped himself in a buffalo robe and assuming 
as nearly as possible the appearance of a wild animal, 
accompanied by groans and hideous sounds, rushed 
toward the gentle old equine. The "second act" had 
an additional feature that was not down on the pro- 
gramme, for "Dobbin" backed down into the well and 
his young tormentor was obliged to hasten for assistance. 

The same buffalo robe did service a second time, 
with a little variation in the handling, and was lowered 
from the haymow before the faces of two restive colts, 
who immediately began to prance and kick with such 
vigor that the floor was demolished to such an extent 
that the strong halters which prevented the complete 
precipitation of the animals into the cellar only in- 
creased the danger of their being choked to death as 
they hung suspended between the manger and the 
cellar floor. 

It was on such and similar occasions that the young- 
ster's father found it necessary to test the infallibility 
of "Solomon's Wisdom," which centuries before had 
given to the world the now sometimes questioned 
adage, "Spare the rod and spoil the child.' ' 

When about eight years of age, "Wood" was sent 



48 AS SEEN BY HIS SISTER 

by his father," a practicing country physician, to an ad- 
joining town to purchase some medicine which was 
needed immediately. When but a short distance from 
the house the carriage, owing to an accident, became 
disabled for continued use. Instead of retracing his 
tracks and reporting the condition at headquarters 
he unhitched his horse, and leaving the vehicle by the 
side of the road, mounted astride his steed and rode on 
to a smithy's where he left orders to have the wheel 
reset during his absence; then resumed his journey 
to the apothecary's to fulfill his original order. The 
miles were eventually retraced, the carriage found satisfac- 
torily repaired, and home was reached within the stip- 
ulated time. The recital of his adventure elicited the 
remark, "An old head on young shoulders." 

Whether at work or play, whatever was the order 
of the hour, he did his part well, and as he grew older 
and could vie with the other village boys in their sports 
and games, he would dive deeper from the projecting 
timbers of the old covered bridge, stay longer under 
water and appear again farther down the stream than 
any of his rivals. In the winter his sled was the swiftest 
on the hill and his skates could outrace nearly all those 
possessed by his playmates. 

He never had the reputation of being a "great 
student," yet, occasionally, if a young boy was wanted 
for a day or two in the village store while the regular 
clerk was absent from his post, "Jack" would be recom- 
mended because he was "quick at figures." And the 
same talent furnished "extenuating circumstances" 
that prevented, at a later period, his dismissal from the 
Naval Academy when the number of his demerits, 
some self-inflicted, rapidly approached the danger line. 

His ideas of honor and truth were marked character- 




Philip at the Age of Eight. 



" jack's" honesty 49 

istics from his boyhood, as the following incident will 
illustrate. One day when he and a number of his play- 
mates were interesting themselves in various ways, 
long-distance stone-throwing became the momentary 
attraction, and Jack's ' 'eye' ' following the course of- a 
pebble that had just left his hand, saw the stone shatter 
a pane of glass in the gable end of a neighbor's house. 
"Jack" left his companions, notwithstanding their 
protest at the folly of his intention, proceeded directly 
to the house and informed its occupants of the mishap; 
adding that he wished to pay for the damage he had 
done. The proffered money was accepted to replace 
the 7x9 inch window pane, although it was well known 
that the twenty-five cents would make a greater hole 
in the boy's pocket money than a thousand times that 
amount would if subtracted from the man's large in- 
come. 

"Jack" expected everyone to believe in his integ- 
rity, and if ever it was subjected to doubt he was will- 
ing to undergo deprivation in order to demonstrate 
that "his word was as good as his bond." Having 
given his promise not to smoke when allowed outside 
the Naval Academy grounds, he preferred being de- 
tained within the inclosure for nearly a year rather 
than sign a declaration to that effect; saying to the 
officer in command that if his promise was not a suf- 
ficient guarantee of good faith, certainly his signature 
on paper could not be of any great value. 

In later life when his bump of curiosity — a trait 
frequently attributed exclusively to women — had piloted 
him within the doors of a sham auction, and he had 
"bid in" enough cigars of the "sweat shop" order to 
close out the whole concern (although thinking he was 
purchasing only one box as a sample), he did penance 



50 AS SEEN BY HIS SISTER 

by denying himself a decent smoke until his investment 
was burned to the last stub. Nor did his friends have 
much pity on him, certainly not enough to make mar- 
tyrs of themselves by helping him dispose of this " White 
Elephant" unless, perhaps, they surreptitiously de- 
stroyed the offensive weed when ' ' Jack " was not cog- 
nizant of their purpose. 

For the belief that his religious convictions were not 
of recent development we find several confirmatory 
instances. On the fly leaf of a very old copy of the 
New Testament, still extant in the house of a relative, 
there is written over his own signature, in irregular 
boyish penmanship, these words: "Would I were a 
Missionary.' ' 

Many a child imbibes principles at his mother's knee 
at such an early period of his existence that even mem- 
ory fails to remind him that they were not acquired 
intuitively. Once, while staying in the home men- 
tioned above, ' 'Jack' ' overheard a little child repeating 
an ancient couplet to the effect that :— 

A Sabbath well spent, brings a week of content 

And peace and joy for the morrow; 
But a Sabbath profaned, what e'er may be gained, 

Is a certain fore-runner of sorrow. 

His quick ear caught the words and he asked where 
the child had learned the lines. On being told that 
they had come down from his own mother he exclaimed, 
"Why, I've always known those verses and wondered 
where I had learned them. " 

When, after the battle of Santiago, Captain Philip 
called the crew of the Texas to quarters that he might 
acknowledge in their presence his desire to thank God 
for the victory, silently and with uncovered heads, even 



\ 



HIS RESERVE ON RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS 51 

his nearest friends were surprised that he had broken 
through the silence he had usually maintained on re- 
ligious subjects. But although his reserve had been 
habitual, the explanation, not only for this act, but also 
for the work in which he engaged after the war in con- 
nection with the naval branch of the Y. M. C. A., is to 
be found in his own words, spoken fifteen years ago 
when he was about to become a member of the church. 
He was much troubled at that time lest some one might 
think he considered himself "good enough" to take such 
a step; and in explanation of his act he said to the 
writer: "If we want a child to learn to read we send 
him to school, do we not? And so is not the church 
a school where we are to learn of Christ, and Christ said 
if men refuse to confess Him before their fellow men 
He would refuse to confess them before His Father in 
Heaven." 



CHAPTER V 

AT MARTINIQUE 

THAT Philip, first, last and always, was an ideal 
seaman has been fully evinced by his splendid 
professional career. How strong was his love 
for the service, and especially for "his" ship, is touch- 
ingly illustrated in a reminiscence from one of his 
brother officers in the Wachusett, Chief Engineer Edward 
Biddle Latch, U. S. N. (retired) who says: "By the ar- 
rangement of the mess-table in the Wachusett during her 
cruise to the Far East, 1865-68, it so happened that I 
sat on his right for the two and one-half years — or from 
the time the Wachusett left Boston until she was ordered 
home from the China station, at which time Philip was 
detached and ordered to the flagship Hartford, Rear- 
Admiral Bell. The transfer almost broke Philip's heart; 
not only because his vessel, the Wachusett, was home- 
ward bound, with her homeward pennant streaming from 
its halliards at the main topgallant masthead until it 
gracefully touched the water far astern as a parting 
salutation, but because he felt a true affection for every 
plank and spar, every shroud and brace of her; he had 
made her a sailor's ideal home." 

Speaking of an incident that happened while the 
Wachusett was at Martinique, which reveals Philip's 
singular ability to read character, Mr. Latch says: 
" Philip was a good judge of character and also a good 



(I 



ME NO SPEAKEE ENGLISH" 53 



rememberer of faces. As to the latter characteristic, 
I recollect that when the Wachusett was being coaled 
at Martinique there was a long gang plank leading from 
the ship to the wharf. As was customary at this place, 
a large number of women bearing baskets of coal on 
their heads came aboard in an unbroken file, discharged 
their burdens into the coal bunkers and returned for 
more, thus forming a sort of an endless chain. This 
method of coaling, together with the weighers and tally 
men, implies a very busy scene. At least so it seemed 
to strike one of the ship's company, for he doffed his 
sailor's clothes, donned a citizen's suit and started for 
the gate of exit, thinking to enter upon a lark of un- 
limited extent. It happened, however, that Mr. Philip 
was at the gate and recognizing the man asked him: 
'What are you doing here?' Without any hesitancy 
the man replied 'Me no speakee English,' but Philip, 
taking in the situation, without more ado turned him 
over to the corporal of the guard, who was watching for 
just such an attempt. Philip narrated this episode at 
the mess-table with considerable glee, for he was keen 
to see the humorous side of life. 

"As a judge of character, in speaking of a certain 
petty officer, I heard him say at the mess-table: 'That 
man is a rascal. He is a good seaman and all right as 
far as his duties go, but I believe that he is a rascal.' 
Well, strange as it may appear, it came to my knowledge, 
after the return of the Wachusett to the United States 
and the discharge of the ship's company, that the man 
of whom Mr. Philip had spoken was arrested for some 
offense and sent to an institution for the betterment of 
sundry wilful personages; thus bearing out the pre-con- 
ception of his character as expressed above. In the 
sequel, however, the poor fellow met there an untimely 



54 AT MARTINIQUE 

death, having been caught in the belting of the machin- 
ery in his effort to save another." 



PHILIP S JOURNAL OF A CRUISE. 

(Continued from page 45.) 

Mar. 16th. — To-day broke perfectly beautiful but extremely 
warm, with the land in sight and quite near at daylight. All during 
the night we were under very low pressure of steam, so that we 
might arrive in port comfortably after breakfast. The island 
abeam was Guadeloupe and that directly ahead Martinique. The 
latter is a beautiful island, about thirty miles, with a population 
of some thirty thousand, nearly all being negroes and the greater 
part of these children, judging from the number I saw in the streets 
this afternoon. 

The island presented a magnificent appearance as we were 
steaming along its coast. It is very high and mountainous, and 
filled with deep ravines and caves. But it is under almost perfect 
cultivation from the top down to the sea coast. Sugar cane and 
coffee plantations are in sight as far as the eye can reach. At 9 
a. m. we steamed past St. Pierre and at 10 a. m. hoisted the "jack" 
for a pilot and stood into the harbor of Fort de France, anchoring 
under the guns of Fort St. Louis. 

We were immediately visited by an aide to the Governor, who 
informed us of the regulations of the port from the Emperor in re- 
lation to vessels of the "North and South United States," and 
were told that we could not remain longer than twenty-four hours, 
except by permission of His Excellency, the Governor-General. 
On telling this officer our wants and requirements he said that he 
would grant us the necessary time (for the Governor) to make our 
repairs and coal ship. Of course we accepted it and will remain 
about a week. 

Our consul not residing here but in St. Pierre, we received an 
official visit from our agent (a Frenchman) for the port. The ship 
is surrounded by "bumboats" containing half clothed natives 
and all kinds of tropical fruits. At 3 p. m. I went on shore with 
our captain to pay an official visit to the Governor-General. On 
landing at the wharf we met an aide from the Governor, who con- 
ducted us to the palace, where we were presented to the Governor 



" HOW MUCH IS GOLD TO-DAY " 55 

in official style. He is an officer (captain) in the Imperial navy, 
and was extremely polite and attentive, as Frenchmen generally 
are. After sipping wine and smoking a cigar he showed us all 
about the palace and grounds. And I can only say that they were 
magnificent as compared to anything in the United States. His 
yard and grounds were beautifully laid out, and filled with all the 
tropical flowers and fruit. It now being in the height of the sea- 
son of course everything was overflowing with "some of its kind." 
He has a great many pets about his grounds, such as the American 
dove, deer, birds and fowl innumerable. 

But his particular pet is a horse and buggy of pure Yankee 
breed and manufacture, they having been sent to him by an Amer- 
ican gentleman in New York. They are great curiosities here to 
the natives, but looked perfectly natural to us, excepting the ab- 
sence of one of our U. S. Internal Revenue stamps stuck on the 
buggy. 

What a great change this is to us, for about ten days ago we 
were in the ice and snow-bound city of Boston, and here we are in 
the tropics wearing summer clothing, with all sorts of fruit ripening. 
But what seems strangest to us is that, instead of handling green- 
backs and shin-plasters, we have solid gold and silver in our pockets 
and are not obliged to ask: " How much is gold to-day?" 

Upon leaving the palace we received a very kind invitation to 
dine with the Governor-General, which we, of course, were obliged 
to accept in a military point of view, however much we may dis- 
like it socially. The town is composed mostly of two-story houses 
with red tile roofs, the streets are broad, beautifully shaded by 
tropical trees and are remarkably clean, but filled with children, all 
asking money from the "rich Americans." 

Sent Mr. Pegram to St. Pierre in a French steamer to commun- 
icate with our consul. Sent down the topmast and found it to be 
in a very serious condition. There is great excitement here over 
our recent victories, and they look upon us in a different light from 
what they did a short time ago, and the time is fast coming when 
both France and England will heartily repent of their conduct 
toward the North in the late war. 

Mar. 17th. — Passed to-day aboard ship. Having carried away 
our topmast and jibboom on the passage down here I was obliged 
to send them down and set new ones, also "set up" the standing 
rigging fore and aft. All the officers visited shore to-day and came 



56 AT MARTINIQUE 

off in the evening very much pleased with the city and natives. 
The American consul, Mr. Givens, came down from St. Pierre and 
visited the ship. 

Mar. 18th. — I spent most of this day aboard ship superintending 
setting up rigging, while the rest of the officers were on shore seeing 
the town and enjoying themselves. In the afternoon I went with 
the captain and our consul to pay an official visit to the senior 
French naval officer in the sloop of war Acheron, but he was on shore 
and consequently we did not see him. We inspected his steamer 
in the Yankee style, and after pronouncing her to be miserable 
and dirty from truck to keel, and leaving our cards, we took leave 
of the polite officer of the deck and his dirty craft and went on 
shore to see their naval dry dock and government yards; and they, 
also, cannot compare in any respect with those of like kind in the 
United States — that, at all events, is the opinion of two New York 
Dutchmen. 

Afterward we walked over a portion of the city to see it in its 
different locations, so as to be better able to judge of it as a whole. 
After seeing all we desired we adjourned to the French clubrooms, 
where we spent a portion of the evening in a very pleasant manner 
with some of the first French gentlemen of the island; afterward 
we returned to the ship and I finished the evening with Pegram, 
talking over old times, etc., where we were two weeks ago, namely, 
in Boston, enjoying ourselves at Parker's. 

Mar. 19th. — After attending to the regular Sunday routine of 
the ship I went ashore with Pegram to see how the town 
looked on Sunday. After doing some business with our tailor and 
shoemaker we walked about the place and then went to the out- 
skirts to see the Crucifix, which is on a hill in view of the whole 
city from below, and is intended to represent the crucifixion of the 
Holy Saviour and the two thieves. The figures are life size, in 
marble, and around them are small images, holy water, burning wax 
tapers etc. Afterward we visited the monument of the Empress 
Josephine, which is in the principal square of the city and is made 
of the finest Italian marble and most beautifully carved. She was 
born in Martinique and the palace is in full view of our anchorage. 

To-day being Sunday the city was very lively, it being a holiday 
with them, and all the people from the country coming in town 
to enjoy themselves. On returning to the ship and completing 
my work for the day I spent the evening in a very pleasant con- 



"a large steamer coming in!" 57 

versation with Pegram and Latch, the subject, of course, being 
professional, and branching off on the days of the past and plans 
for the future. 

About 10 p. m. the officer of the deck sent word down to me that 
"a large steamer was standing in toward the harbor." Of course, 
we all wished it to be the Shenandoah, in order that we might try 
the Wachusett and Florida game over again, only transferring the 
scene of the affair from Bahia to Martinique. But on coming in 
she proved to be a French passenger ship, and again our hopes 
were blighted. 

In reference to this Chief Engineer Latch says: "The 
episode was rather startling. The Wachusett left Bos- 
ton in the early part of March, just prior to the close 
of the war. Ostensibly she was bound for China but 
incidentally for the West Indies, in hopes of meeting 
the Shenandoah. Of the private instructions as to her 
itinerary nobody on board knew excepting those im- 
mediately interested, namely, the commanding and 
executive officers. But that they included a lookout for 
Confederate cruisers was obvious. Had this strange 
steamer really been the Shenandoah none could have 
foretold the outcome, whether on the Wachusett- 
Florida style, or with the disastrous results which at- 
tended the British boats when they attacked the Amer- 
ican privateer General Armstrong in the harbor of Fayal, 
in 1814. In any case it is altogether improbable that 
the Wachusett carried instructions to violate the neutral- 
ity of any foreign port. A good deal, however, is left 
to the discretion of the commanding officer, whatever 
his nationality may be. Still, the mess-room talk, as 
indicated in Philip's diary, showed not only a readiness 
but the strong desire of the officers, and, indeed, of the 
whole ship's company, to meet their antagonist in a 
lawful fight — blessings on the paradox.' 



58 AT MARTINIQUE 

Mar. 20th. — About 6 a.m. the pilot came aboard to take the 
ship to the coaling wharf. Made all preparations for getting under 
way and about 9 a. m. made fast to the wharf. The government 
authorities would not give us coal, so we were obliged to purchase 
it of a private company. When all was ready the company sent 
a force of about two hundred women and one hundred and fifty 
men to "coal us." I was amused to see how nicely they managed 
it, for coaling with baskets is done very rapidly. The men filled 
the baskets from an immense pile of coal, while the women took 
the baskets on their heads, brought them on board and dumped 
the coal into our bunkers. It seemed quite strange to see the men 
do the lighter work and the women the heaviest of all. Although 
they are all negroes I did not exactly approve the style — although 
I do approve of making negroes work. 

They coal ship very fast, but they also make a tremendously 
dirty ship, fore and aft, low and aloft. The company has a very 
nice plan of paying the natives for their work. Instead of hiring 
them for the day or week, as we do, they pay them for each bas- 
ket, so they can take their time or work fast, just as they please. 
For every basket of coal they bring aboard they receive a check, 
and at night get pay for work actually done. Although the ship 
is very dirty, several visitors, including ladies and gentlemen, 
came aboard to-day; but of course they could see but little out- 
side of the dirt and coal dust. 

At 6 p. m. I went with Captain Townsend to attend the dinner 
at the Governor-General's, to which we had been invited on the 
first day in port. We met the Governor and about ten French 
naval officers, from captains down to sub-lieutenants. We had a 
delightful time and a pure French dinner in the very best style, 
and talked or tried to talk first French, then English, and then a 
mixture of the two; at all events, we got along remarkably well — 
considering circumstances. After dinner we returned to the sitting 
room, sipped coffee, smoked cigars and then repaired to the billiard 
room and played a game or two with the French officers . . 
O. K., but exceedingly sleepy — time 3.15 a. m. 

Mar. 21st. — The forenoon employed in finishing coaling the 
ship, the same plan, of course, being employed, that of women 
carrying baskets of coal on their heads. Finished coaling ship 
about 9.30 a. m. and commenced to clear up a little, and hoisted a 
"jack" for a pilot to take us round to the front of the city. Cast 



OFFICIAL VISITS 59 

off from the wharf and steamed round under "four bells" [full 
speed], ship going unusually fast, no doubt much to the surprise 
of the Frenchmen. 

While steaming out I found that we had the same pilot who 
took the Alabama out of Martinique while the San Jacinto was 
lying in wait for her outside; but the night being very dark and 
the Confederate plans so well laid, I can see how the San 
Jack failed to discover the Alabama moving out under cover of 
the land and gave chase in a direction opposite to that taken by 
Semmes. For this Admiral Wilkes was censured by the Navy 
Department. 

Three of our men deserted last night, but as the French police 
are after them we are likely to have them aboard soon. I do 
not care particularly about them, but two being "bounty-jumpers" 
and belonging to the meanest race of white men I wish to get them 
just on that account. I went ashore this afternoon, just to take 
a short walk for exercise and do a little business. Returned to 
the ship and spent the evening very agreeably with the captain in 
his cabin. 

Mar. 22d. — Spent a portion of the forenoon on shore in a ship- 
yard surveying and starting a gang of carpenters at work on a 
spar for a new fore topgallant mast. 

At 11.30 a. m. went with Captain Townsend to make an official 
visit on the French Admiral in the frigate Bellone, and was treated 
very politely indeed by all the officers and was shown all over the 
ship. The Bellone was in New York about three months ago, and 
all the officers were delighted with the city, the United States and 
the treatment they received from the hands of the people in general. 
The Bellone is an old sailing-frigate, but converted into an auxiliary 
steamer a short time after leaving France for Mexico. Of course 
all sorts of questions were asked and about the same answers re- 
turned in regard to the affairs in the United States; but we could 
not inform them that we intended to drive the French out of Mexico 
as soon as this war is ended. The ship itself is in better order than 
any French ship I have ever visited, but, of course, she could not 
compare with vessels of the same class belonging to the United 
States Navy. 

In the afternoon I secured one of the deserters while on shore; 
of course stripped him and put him in double irons, as long as the 
anchor is down for the next three months. 



60 AT MARTINIQUE 

Mar. 23d. — In the forenoon Pegram and I received calls from 
the executive officer, a lieutenant and an ensign from the French 
frigate Bellone. After showing them all over the ship and ex- 
plaining things in general to them, we went into the wardroom 
and refreshed the inner man with light wines and cigars. They 
all were very well behaved gentlemen. Their commodore and 
flag lieutenant also came on board to see our captain. They 
could scarcely believe it when we told them that we could steam, 
under favorable circumstances, upward of twelve knots. They 
of course referred back to vessels of the same class in their own 
navy. They were all pleased with the Wachusett's appearance 
inboard and admired our battery very much. We are expecting 
the English admiral at Martinique in a few days. 

Mar. 24th. — There were reports on shore to-day that three Con- 
federate privateers were just outside the harbor, lying in wait for 
the Wachusett and would have revenge for her attack on the 
Florida. The three vessels were soon sighted, but proved to be 
the English admiral's flagship with two corvettes of the British 
West India squadron, bound to Guadeloupe from the southward. 

At 5 p. m. went aboard the Bellone with our captain and Pegram 
to dine with the French admiral and his staff, and after enjoying 
an excellent dinner in the French style, we passed a very pleasant 
evening with them. There were present at the table the admiral, 
two captains, two lieutenants, one ensign, the fleet surgeon, pay- 
master and priest. Everything was served up in the nicest 
style. 

Mar. 25th. — As is customary on Saturday mornings, we spent 
most of the time in cleaning ship for Sunday inspection. Saturday 
afternoon is given to the men to repair their clothing and to pass 
the time as they choose. At 1 p. m. the French admiral came 
aboard to look at our ship. Our captain and executive officer 
[Philip] received them at the gangway in the customary manner, 
with the guard at "present arms." After showing them every- 
thing of interest about the ship we repaired to the cabin, where an 
excellent lunch and cigars had been "set out" by the captain's 
attendants. After discussing and explaining affairs at home in 
regard to the war the admiral expressed himself very much pleased 
with the ship and took leave in the same formal style. During 
the conversation with the French officers I learned that they 
partially sympathized with the South, but with us in an official 



A SUNDAY ASHORE 61 

character. They, of course, will change their minds when we 
finish the war and learn the truth of both sides of this home diffi- 
culty, or when we shall politely invite them to withdraw from their 
rich possessions in Mexico. 

Mar. 26th. — After attending to the usual Sunday routine of the 
ship, I went ashore in the afternoon to hear the garrison band at 
Fort St. Louis play at the public promenade. I spent a portion 
of the evening at the club. Nearly all the inhabitants of Fort de 
France were out this evening enjoying the promenade and music. 
They presented a very interesting spectacle to us foreigners, for 
they were dressed in many tropical costumes, freely intermingled 
with the military costumes of the garrison. 

In the afternoon sent the cutter with an officer round to the 
wharf and towed off to the ship the new topmast. After getting 
it alongside, got it inboard and "pointed it," preparatory to send- 
ing it aloft to-morrow morning. 

Mar. 27th. — After making several futile efforts to fit the new 
topmast I sent it down and landed it in the starboard waist. The 
captain of the Bellone with several French gentlemen came aboard 
at noon to breakfast with our captain, Pegram and I being invited 
also. We had a very pleasant time, and were much amused with 
the account the French captain gave us of his experiences in New 
York, and his description of the customs of New Yorkers and 
Yankees in general. 

The French gunboat Acheron left harbor to-day with some 
French soldiers for the island of Guadeloupe. They would not 
send the troops in a transport because the authorities here have 
a report that two Yankee privateers have lately left Boston to 
prey upon French commerce in the Gulf and along the West In- 
dies. We have told them that we are the latest from Boston and 
that we know nothing of the report and believe it to be utterly 
groundless. But still they will be on the safe side, and will not 
trust their soldiers in an unprotected transport. If the report 
had been that the two privateers had left Boston for the purpose 
of preying on English commerce it might have some shadow of 
truth. 

We are trying to get ready to go to sea to-morrow, as the rumor 
still floats around town that a couple of Confederate cruisers are 
outside in waiting for the Wachusett, and of course, we must go and 
look for them — either "for better or worse.'' 



62 AT MARTINIQUE 

Mar. 28th. — Sent aloft the topmast, fitted it, and stayed the 
mast, crossed the topsail yard and reported ready for duty. Re- 
ceived on board two hundred and fifty bags of coal, replenished 
the sand locker and busied myself about the deck all day in getting 
ready for sea. 

The French mail steamer from Vera Cruz arrived this evening, 
but what news she brought from the United States we have not 
yet learned — probably none. This is a line of mail steamers from 
France that the Emperor established since the occupation of 
Mexico by French troops. 

In the evening a boat's crew from the French steamer Casa 
Bianca came alongside, said that they had deserted and wanted 
to ship in the Wachusett. This, of course, we would not listen to, 
and sent them to the authorities on shore to receive merited pun- 
ishment. This is not the first case of the kind we have had since 
we have been in this port. 

Mar. 29th. — Made all necessary preparations for going to sea, 
and sent the paymaster ashore to settle up all the Wachusett's 
bills. At 1 p. m. the English line of battle ship Duncan, with 
Admiral Hope aboard, came in from Guadeloupe and anchored. 
She saluted the French flag with twenty-one guns, which was re- 
turned by Fort St. Louis. The French and English admirals 
called upon each other and received their customary salute and 
answer of fifteen guns. Sent a boat to the Duncan with the usual 
compliments of our commanding officer. 

At 5 p. m., being all ready, called "all hands up anchor" with 
the intention of leaving port, but in turning round we ran on the 
rocks under Fort de France and stuck there. The English and 
French admirals immediately sent officers on board tendering 
the assistance of their two ships and directly afterward sent all their 
launches with anchors and cables to assist us in getting off. We 
planted two heavy anchors astern and sent a heavy hawser to the 
French frigate and hove away upon them all; but, although we 
had topsails set aback and backed strong with the engines, we 
could not start the ship. We worked in this way until 9 p. m., 
when the pilot announced that it was "dead low water," so that 
there were no hopes of getting her off to-night. All the English- 
men with their boats returned to the Duncan and the French- 
men to the Bellone, intending to renew their assistance at 
daybreak. 






A PERILOUS POSITION 63 

The French admiral sent a couple of lighters alongside and all 
of his small coal bags, and we have commenced to "lighten her" 
by taking out the coal from the bunkers and placing it in the 
lighters, in the hope that this will float her off. It is quite danger- 
ous here; although directly under the walls of Fort St. Louis we 
are two feet out of water at the bow and are lying on coral and 
rocks, while the ship is thumping heavily at intervals, which, of 
course, can do her no good and a great amount of damage may 
arise from it. The French in this case have been unusually and 
extremely kind to us, doing and offering us everything in the 
power of their admiral to perform, and will "remain by us" until 
we are afloat again. The English admiral, also, has been most 
unexpectedly kind to us and obliging, sending us all the assistance 
in officers, men, boats, anchors, etc., that was in his power; and 
his flag captain came on board to offer his services to our captain. 
This was the more surprising to us in view of the fact that it was 
this Admiral Hope who befriended the Florida's people at the 
time the Wachusett captured her in Bahia. We had every reason 
to believe that the English admiral, so far from desiring to aid us, 
would have been only too glad to have seen the Wachusett lay 
down her bones right then and there. 

At work and up all night in transporting the guns aft and striking 
up the coal in the bunkers and placing it on the lighters alongside. 

Mar. 30th. — After being up all night taking out coal and setting 
taut the hawsers we had the pleasure of seeing the Wachusett 
floated off when it was high tide at daylight. We moved over and 
anchored in seven fathoms abreast the Bellone. The English and 
French launches weighed their anchors and returned to their 
several ships. Began replacing all the coal in our bunkers and 
cleaned up the decks again. The French admiral, with his usual 
kindness, sent a boat with a diver and his apparatus to examine 
the WachuseWs bottom. Went down and found that there was 
but very little damage, two pieces of copper off and the shoe started 
a little athwartships. This will delay us a day or two longer, but 
considering all the circumstances I think that we were very for- 
tunate in getting afloat with so little damage. 

It is very mortifying to get aground just as you are leaving port, 
but it is more so when you are compelled to accept assistance from 
the English and French at a time when so much ill-feeling exists 
against them in the United States for their acts of assistance to 



64 AT MARTINIQUE 

the Confederacy. None of our officers had intended to call on the 
Englishmen, but after their kind acts last night we called on them 
to-day. 

Mar. 31st. — The divers from the French flagship were engaged 
in replacing copper on the ship's bottom. They finished at 11 
a. m. and reported the ship ready for sea. At sunset the French 
police brought one of our deserters aboard. 

April 1st. — At daybreak the pilot came aboard, and at 10 a. m. 
we steamed out of the harbor and stood up the coast, close to the 
land, and at 11 a. m. came to anchor in St. Pierre, just off the town. 
The U. S. S. Connecticut came in at 3 p. m. from Guadeloupe. 
Although she left Boston when we did, and of course had no later 
news, yet it seemed like meeting one from home and consequently 
we all went on board of her and spent the evening. We found the 
officers delighted with the ship and their cruising grounds, which 
are all over the Gulf of Mexico and among the West Indies. 

The first of last month, when we sailed from Boston, she left for 
the West and we for the East Indies, and did not expect to see each 
other again for three years. But here, unexpectedly, within a 
month, we run across each other again, one on her station and the 
other thousands and thousands of miles from her destination. 

April 2d. — (Sunday) I went on shore with Pegram to see the 
town and to spend the forenoon out of the ship. I found the city 
to be like all the towns in the tropics, rather irregularly laid out 
and very old. The houses are two stories high, built of stone or 
brick, and with common tile roofs. The streets are narrow but very 
clean, with a stream of water on each side to carry off to the sea 
all refuse. The streets are all fillei with children, white and 
black, from five to fifteen years of age, all enjoying themselves in 
the fresh water that comes down from the mountains. 

We tried to procure horses to ride out in the country, but the 
only ones to be found were miserable, worn out nags, so we did not 
take them or go outside the city limits. There are no places of 
amusement here now; it being Lent the operas and theatres are all 
closed, so we are obliged to amuse ourselves in surveying the town 
and playing the national game of billiards while on shore. The 
only places to be seen are the public gardens, Governor's residence, 
the cathedral, and the sights from the mountains seaward. With 
all the advantages of climate, etc., I prefer our northern temperate 
zone to anything I have yet seen in the tropics. 



SOME 



YOUNG FRENCH LADIES " 65 



At 6 p. m. I went on shore again, and with Captain Townsend 
dined at the house of the American consul, Mr. Givens. We had 
a very pleasant time, and spent the evening with Mr. and Mrs. 
Givens and two or three young French ladies. It was decidedly 
the pleasantest time on shore I have had since leaving Boston; 
but, of course, it was only an aggravation to know a person for so 
short a period, then have to go to sea to forget all about former 
acquaintances. 

April 3d. — Cleaned up the ship a little extra this morning in 
anticipation of receiving some visitors from the shore during the 
day. [It seems that the "two or three young French ladies" were 
expected — E. S. M.] At noon Mr. Givens and wife came aboard 
and took breakfast with the captain, I joining the party. As Mrs. 
Givens was an American lady the captain had had everything ar- 
ranged as nearly like home as possible, so as to let her see that a 
man of war was not such a bad place to live in as was generally 
supposed. Having a lady with us for breakfast this morning we 
readily imagined that we were a little nearer home and the civil- 
ized world generally, instead of being so far from everybody of 
interest to us. 

After breakfast some French gentlemen and three of their lady 
friends came aboard to see the Wachusett. After showing 
them all over the ship we adjourned to the upper cabin, where the 
captain set out a very nice lunch with wine, and we had an ex- 
ceedingly pleasant time of it. All of the ladies had been in the 
United States and could speak English, which, of course, made it 
more agreeable to all of us. While down in the wardroom, the 
ladies naturally wished to see my room, and on being shown in said 
that it was altogether too small to occupy for so long a time (three 
years) without change and therefore I received much sympathy 
etc., for being obliged to leave everything of comfort behind and 
to content myself with my little 6x8 foot locker. 

After seeing everything of interest on board the ladies returned 
to their quiet homes in St. Pierre, and had we not expected to get 
under way at sunset and go to sea, I would certainly have accepted 
their kind invitations to spend the evening at their homes and en- 
joyed myself still more. At all events it has been the pleasantest 
day of any to me since I joined the Wachusett at Boston, and 
now I only wish that we could remain here a week or two 
longer. 



66 AT MARTINIQUE 

Last night the English mail steamer touched here from St. 
Thomas and brought glorious news from the United States of 
continued victories of our noble armies — and gold down to 162! 
This news put us in the best of spirits for the rest of the day. May 
to God that all the news that we may hereafter receive be of the 
most glowing character, until finally we hear of peace and pros- 
perity throughout our whole country, North, South, East and West. 



CHAPTER VI 



A ROMANTIC CRUISE 



PHILIP'S appreciation of the beautiful nowhere 
appears to better advantage than in that section 
of his diary in which he describes the ship's 
leisurely passage across the Atlantic, from Martinique to 
the Cape de Verdes, almost the exact reverse of the 
course taken by Cervera thirty-three years later. 
" Jack's " descriptions of storms, calms, sunsets and 
moonlight on the ocean, the nervous efforts of the 
pretty Wachusett to "run away" from a "rotary 
storm," her appointment with the dashing "trade 
winds " at a certain time and lonely spot on the Atlan- 
tic, her flirtation with the " trades " until in a moment 
of caprice she jilted them and ran off laughing with the 
rival "variables," are well worthy of preservation. 

PHILIP'S PRIVATE JOURNAL OF A CRUISE 

April 4th, 1865. — At daylight called "all hands, up anchor," 
got under way and stood out of the harbor of St. Pierre and 
skirted along the island northward. Passed in between Mar- 
tinique and Dominica and stood eastward to clear the island of 
Guadeloupe. At sunset we lost sight of land, and, if nothing hap- 
pens, it will be a long, long time before we will again see it on the 
American continent or the adjacent islands. Would that we were 
as near home on the return from the East Indies, instead of just 
commencing this long cruise. I know that there would be many 
more lighter hearts than we now have among us. Carried out 



68 A ROMANTIC CRUISE 

the routine of exercising the men at the great guns in the morn- 
ing and small arms in the afternoon, and making everything snug 
about the ship for a long passage to the next port. 

Several sail in sight during the day and all standing northward 
under all sail, each seeming anxious to make the best possible 
time to some port in the United States. I wished several times 
that I was on board one of them, and bound for New York instead 
of Hong Kong. The sea very smooth all day, the ship steaming 
"head to wind" and rolling quite deep, considering the sea that 
was on. 

Released the six deserters, to be confined again as we enter the 
next port for safe-keeping for Uncle Sam. 

April 5th. — Very pleasant all day, with light trade winds from 
the north and east. At noon stopped the engines, banked fires 
and disconnected the propeller, in order to save our coal for par- 
ticular occasions, as we have a very long passage to make and 
only nine days coal aboard! 

April 6th. — Although the day broke pleasantly, toward noon 
the atmosphere changed and gave warning of an approaching 
storm, and in the afternoon it began in all its fury from the north- 
east, and. continued, with the sea increasing, until sunset, when we 
close-reefed the topsails and made all snug for the night. This 
being a rotary storm and the wind increasing from the northeast, 
we knew that the center of it would be to the southeast of the ship 
and that we were on the edge of the circle, so by running eastward 
we were fast approaching the vortex. In order to avoid this, we 
wore ship and stood to the north and west, and, as we sailed on, 
the storm died away and passed in its fury astern and to leeward. 

We are still under close-reefed topsails, standing northward, 
with a moderate gale blowing and a very heavy sea running. The 
ship is rolling heavily and behaving very badly under the circum- 
stances. And this is another case I record where it is more pleasant 
on shore among friends than afloat in a gale of wind. 

April 7th. — After wearing ship last evening and standing north- 
westward, we soon had quite good weather, and by midnight we 
were about out of its influence. Took in and furled all sail, and 
started ahead with the engines, standing northward. At daylight 
still blowing very heavily, with a rough sea setting in from the 
northeast with heavy rain squalls, the ship laboring badly. At 
11 a. m. it cleared up and we again headed for the Cape de Verdes 



A "most beautiful sunset" 69 

But as the wind died out in the afternoon, and the ship was not 
heading within five points of her course, we took in all sail and 
steamed northeast, so as to get out of the trade winds and strike 
the variables. 

Unable to exercise to-day on account of the ship rolling so deeply 
as to be unsafe to cast loose the great guns. In rolling to-day 
we shipped water over the hammock nettings in the waist. 

To-night we had one of the most beautiful sunsets that I have 
ever seen at sea, the heaven presenting a magnificent sight in 
the west, while there were two superb rainbows in the opposite 
quarter. 

Busy to-day in getting out an inventory of the stores in the 
different departments, just to "show up" more plainly how miser- 
ably this ship was fitted out at the Boston Navy Yard to go on 
a long cruise. Everything is parting and carrying away in rough 
weather, so that it is hard to tell what to trust in the shape of 
masts, spars or rigging; and in the empty state in which our 
storerooms are at present (considering the short time from home) 
we have hard work to replace anything carried away. 

April 8th. — Beautifully pleasant and clear all day, the ship 
rolling so much as to take in water over the rails and gangway. 
As the rigging on the foremast became slack, we had to set it up 
to prevent the spars from being carried away. At noon a bark 
homeward bound hove in sight. As we have only one hundred 
and fifteen tons left aboard, we stopped the engines, banked fires 
and continued under sail. Passed the evening in the wardroom 
with the officers in the usual Saturday night style. 

April 9th (Sunday). — Very strong trades all day, the ship having 
just as much as she can do to carry the topgallant sails. Standing 
northward in order to get out of the northeast trades and strike 
the "variables," in the hope of finding them prevailing from the 
southwest at this season of the year so they will carry us over to 
the coast of Africa. 

To-day we left the tropics and are again in the north temperate 
zone and find a decided change in the atmosphere, cooler than 
the climate of Martinique. Although it is cooler, yet it is not cold 
(the thermometer being at 80 degrees) and we indulge in the 
thought that we are again nearer home. But this can last for 
only a day or two longer, for then we head eastward, and every 
day thereafter we will increase the distance between the ship and 



70 A ROMANTIC CRUISE 

thousands and thousands of miles will separate us. At 10 a.m. 
inspected all hands at their quarters and the ship thoroughly, 
after which called all hands to muster and the surgeon read divine 
service to the officers and men assembled on the quarter deck. 
This day has been one of the pleasantest I have experienced since 
leaving Boston. 

April 10th. — Trades continued strong and fresh all day, the 
Wachusett, as usual, rolling very deep. On this day we came 
near losing our 100-pounder rifles through the rolling. The weather 
seems again more natural and like that of New York, for we 
have laid aside our summer clothing and have returned to the 
thicker and warmer styles; and during the night watches the 
officer of the deck may be seen pacing up and down the quarter 
deck with his large overcoat on. 

April 11th. — The trade winds still blowing from the eastward, 
but not so strong and fresh. Two sail in sight, one a fore-and-aft 
schooner and the other a brig, both on the wind, standing south- 
eastward. We wished and tried to speak them, as they were lately 
out from the United States, and undoubtedly had news later than 
March 5th, which was our latest. But we could not get them, 
as they were too far windward and we did not wish to expend 
the coal to run up and overhaul them. 

April 12th. — Very light southerly breezes until sunset, when the 
wind died away, we having run out of the region of trade winds 
and into that of the calms preceding that of the "variables." 
Took in and furled all sail and started ahead with the engines, 
the ship heading northeast so as to run across the calm belt and 
at the same time make a little of our easting. A large ship in 
sight under all sail heading northeast, but being a "clipper," she 
beat us at sailing and was soon hull down to windward. 

At sunset a large piece of timber floated past. We lowered the 
dingey and Pegram pulled off to examine it, but finding it to be 
useless for the ship, he returned without it. After getting on 
board he remarked, "It almost made me seasick to see the old 
Wachusett roll so much when there was no cause for it" — it being 
almost a dead calm at the time. Hoisted in the boat and continued 
on our course. 

This is one of the most beautiful evenings at sea that can ever 
be experienced. It is a dead calm, the water as smooth as a mill- 
pond, with the exception of the long, graceful swell, a full bright 



IN A PERILOUS POSITION 71 

moon and not a cloud to be seen in the sky. As a result we are 
all in excellent spirits, and will continue so as long as we are blessed 
with such weather. 

April 13th. — At sunrise this morning fell in with a light breeze 
from the southwest, which is the wind that we came up from Mar- 
tinique for, in order to carry us across the Atlantic under sail. 
At 8 a. m. stopped, disconnected the engines, banked fires and made 
all sail to studding sails 'low and aloft, and headed her to the east- 
ward to run down the longitude. A school of whales in sight and 
near the ship this afternoon. 

April 14th. — Carried out the usual routine, varied by reading, 
at sunset, the "Fire bill" to the officers and crew. 

April 15th. — At 8 a. m. this morning, in a very heavy rain squall, 
the wind suddenly changed to the northeast, throwing the ship 
flat aback, with all sails to studding sails on her. Obliged to take 
in the studding sails, brace round on the other tack and reduce 
down to topsails and fore and aft sails. As the wind came out in 
great violence and very suddenly, before the Wachusett could be 
brought on the right tack with yards and sails trimmed, she had 
gathered "stern-board" and was thus placed in quite a perilous 
position. Blowing very hard all day and the rain came down in 
torrents until about midnight, when it partially cleared up. The 
night is very dark and "dirty," with heavy winds still from the 
northeast. The sea is rough and very phosphorescent, which 
gives everything a ghastly appearance. I wonder how the weather 

is this Saturday night in C . Would that I was there instead 

of being tossed with the old Wachusett here in mid-ocean! 

April 16th (Sunday). — A beautiful day from sunrise to sunset, 
calm, with sea as smooth as possible, and the old ship lying lazily 
on the gently heaving bosom of the ocean, with " yards-a-box " 
for wind; sails flapping against the masts and rigging, and the 
vessel just moving with the swells as she heads to all or any point 
of the compass. 

At midday a small bottle was seen a short distance from the 
ship. We lowered the dingey and sent her for it and brought it 
on board. After opening it, found it to be empty. Evidently it 
had been in the water some time, for it was covered with barnacles 
and small shell-fish. Ships at sea always make a practice of picking 
up everything of the kind, if it is possible to do so, for seamen, 
when in a gale of wind or in distress, often write down on a piece 



72 A ROMANTIC CRUISE 

of paper their names, position, etc., put it in a bottle, seal it up 
and heave it overboard to be picked up at a later day, so that if 
they perish some trace may still be had of their misfortune. It 
was for this reason that we stopped to pick up what we first sup- 
posed to contain tidings of some fellow-wanderer. 

April 17th. — Very beautiful, with fresh breezes from the west 
all day. This is another of those days when all the officers are 
delighted with life at sea. 

April 18th. — The weather changed during the night and at day- 
light it was raining furiously, with every sign of bad weather close 
on board, but the wind was still light from the west. About 1 p. m. 
the wind suddenly hauled to the north and blew very fresh and 
continued to increase and haul to the east until 5 p. m., when we 
were obliged to close-reef the topsails, running before the wind; 
the ship logging twelve knots under this reduced sail. Every 
appearance of a bad stormy night before us, so I made everything 
snug. 

Just before sunset a beautiful rainbow was seen extending from 
horizon to horizon, spanning the sky, and as the sailors say, " A 
rainbow at night is a sailor's delight," we expected it to clear up 
and give us good weather again; so just as the sun set, it broke 
out and the storm gave signs of abating. It "broke up" as the 
sun disappeared beneath the western horizon, and at 8 p. m. we 
shook out the reefs and hoisted the topsails and made more sail, 
again standing on our course southeast by east. 

A large sh ; p in sight and crossed our bow, standing northeast 
bound for Europe. She was an Englishman. In the afternoon 
a Yankee bark hove in sight from the north, heading south. We 
might have hove to and spoke him and received news from home, 
but he came up in this heavy squall and by the time we were under 
close-reefed topsails, he, being before the wind, was hull down to 
leeward, and consequently we missed that chance of hearing from 
home. 

April 19th. — The ship rolling very deep and heavily all last 
night and to-day, shipping seas over the hammock netting and 
gangways. On account of her motion it is very uncomfortable on 
board. One cannot eat, sleep, read or write with any degree of 
pleasure, because you are obliged to brace yourself and hold on to 
anything fast to keep from going from one side of the wardroom 
to the other, While eating our meals, our plates and dishes 



HUNGRY FOR NEWS 73 

would take an angle of forty-five degrees if we did not hold and 
balance them with the roll. So much for going to sea when one 
ought to remain on shore! 

Sixteen hundred miles from Cape de Verde Islands to-day and 
only seventy tons of coal aboard! 

April 20th. — During the mid-watch last night we passed very 
close to a ship standing northeast. We are now forty-seven days 
out from Boston and are in just the latitude and longitude that 
we ought to have been in when eleven days out, so that thirty-six 
days are already added to our passage to China. 

April 21st. — One bark in sight to-day, evidently bound for Eu- 
rope. I wish we had an opportunity to get a New York newspaper 
of late date, so we could get some news from the States. I have 
no doubt, though, that, long ere this, our armies are in quiet posses- 
sion of Richmond and that the war is about ended. Would that 
we could be officially informed of it. 

April 22d. — Nothing of special interest occurred to-day, and we 
worried through the day the best we could. In the eveniKg. 
however, we had the usual Saturday night's toasts in remembrance 
of those at home. 

April 23d (Sunday). — This has been one of the most beautiful 
days that can ever be experienced at sea; not a cloud in the sky, 
sea smooth, ship on her course with studding sails set on both 
sides, and with as much wind as we desire for the safety of our 
yards and masts. It has been a noble day for thought and re- 
flection, and in taking advantage of it my thoughts naturally ran 
back to the banks of the grand little Hudson, and there I allowed 
them to linger as long as time would permit, and although I cannot 
see or communicate with the cherished ones there for a long time 
to come, yet I console myself with the thought and belief that 
they are all still in the possession of health; and, perhaps, that 
this Sunday evening they will think of an absent one and finally 
offer a prayer for the lonely bark here in mid-ocean. Would that 
I could take my place this evening in the family g r oup. 

April 24th. — Very squally, with rain and frequent shifts of wind 
all day. At daybreak a small brig hove in sight and about 9 a. m. 
passed within a quarter of a mile of him, exchanged colors, she 
proving to be English, bound for the coast of Brazil. We did not 
speak her, for, being English and having strong sympathies with 
the South, we could not place any reliance on what she might say, 



74 A ROMANTIC CRUISE 

so we continued on our several ways in silence. We ran out of 
the limits of the " variable winds " to-day and expect to reach the 
northeast trades to-morrow, which will carry us to our immediate 
destination. 

April 25th. — Very pleasant all day, but no signs of the trades. 
The barometer fell very low and suddenly, with no indication of 
a gale approaching; but there must be some severe storm blowing 
not far from us or our glass would not be so troubled. At sunset 
the weather changed and gave very positive signs of a cyclone 
passing near to us, but fortunately it passed clear of our track. 
To-night the sea is quite high, and as it comes up astern of us it 
overtakes and breaks alongside, and very often in her rolling the 
Wachusett is too accommodating and takes in large quantities on 
her deck, which is very uncomfortable to all. But, then, this we 
must expect and abide by, as it is our business to " Go down to 
the sea in ships.". 

April 26th. — As was anticipated last night, we soon ran out of 
the influence of the cyclone. The breeze to-day gradually died 
out as we approached the vicinity of the "calm belt," between 
the variables and the trades. By 10 p. m. it was nearly calm, 
when we got up steam and went ahead at full speed, as we are 
only four hundred miles from the Cape de Verdes and we will 
soon run down that distance, and will then make preparations for 
the next "long leg" to the Cape of Good Hope. 

April 27th. — Very pleasant all day, with very little or no sea 
on. A bark hove in sight holding the same course as ourselves. 

April 28th. — We were under steam and sail until sunset, when 
we stopped and disconnected the propeller, as we had only about 
fifty-five miles to make before reaching land. We just "jogged 
along" under steam, as we did not want to be bothered with land 
under our lee during the night. The crew were busy this after- 
noon examining their account on the ship's books, so as to know 
how much they would have to spend when they got ashore. 

April 29th. — At twelve o'clock last night we hove-to under fore 
and aft sail to await daylight, the land being close under our lee. 
At daylight Porto Grande was about thirty miles dead to wind- 
ward of us, so we took in all sail and started ahead with the en- 
gines, steaming along the northern coast of San Antonio Island, 
about three miles from the beach. As the wind was directly 
ahead and very strong our progress was slow. 



Washington's head 75 

At 1 p. m. we rounded the eastern point of the island and kept 
away for St. Vincent, and at 3 p. m. we came to anchor in the 
Bay of Porto Grande. We found a great many vessels at anchor, 
mostly all English merchantmen, but not a single American flag 
except the one we carry and can defend. 

On anchoring, the Portuguese Health Officer boarded, and after 
the customary formalities, gave us the liberty of the port, but as 
yet, not one of our officers has availed himself of this privilege to 
go ashore. The island of St. Vincent is very barren; not a "blade 
of grass" or tree is to be seen. The town of Porto Grande is a 
small place of about one thousand inhabitants, English and Por- 
tuguese, the authorities being Portuguese. The town is used as 
a coaling station for English steamers. Everything that is con- 
sumed here is brought from some other part of the world. The 
fruit, however, is brought from adjacent islands, which are very 
fertile. The bay or anchorage is excellent and very commodious, 
with plenty of water for the largest ships. 

Across the bay to the south and on top of the mountains a 
profile of a man's head can be seen, and all Americans call it Wash- 
ington's head; and, in fact, a great resemblance can be traced, 
and with very little stretch of the imagination his profile as seen any- 
where at home can be made out; the forehead, eyes and nose, 
with chin are, in fact, excellent, but the part for the top of the 
head and the hair is not so good. Although we call it Washing- 
ton, all Englishmen call it the Duke of Wellington. Each party is 
at liberty to name it what it pleases, yet the likeness is there and 
more pronounced than that of the " Old Man of the Mountains " 
in the Catskills, and familiar to us all along the Hudson. 

Busy all day cleaning ship for port, but before we anchored I 
confined those six men who had deserted at Martinique, so that 
they would be safe. 

April 30th (Sunday). — In the afternoon the officers who had 
permission visited the shore to see and be disgusted with the place. 
In the course of the forenoon a small Yankee whaling schooner 
came in and anchored near us, flying the first Yankee flag we have 
seen (on a merchantman) since we left the United States. It was 
a very agreeable sight; although at the mast-head of a small 
whaler, yet it made us all feel as if we were a little nearer to the 
land of the free. 

May 1st. — At daylight this morning we got under way and ran 



76 A ROMANTIC CRUISE 

closer inshore where the water was smoother, so that we could 
coal with more facility. Busy coaling ship all day. Finished at 
sunset and cleaned up ship for the night. The coal was towed 
alongside in large lighters by a small tug and we had merely to 
discharge them. It was bought from an English firm and they 
were very accommodating, being willing to give us everything in 
their power. Coaling a steamer is one of the most disagreeable 
tasks, the dirt penetrating into every corner. For this reason I 
would like to cruise in the old sailing ships, as in days long gone 

by- 

Another Yankee whaling schooner came in this afternoon and 
anchored near us. She has been out from home over fourteen 
months, and so, of course, has no news. The schooner that came 
in yesterday went out again to her cruising grounds in search of 
hump-backs. 

May 2d. — To-day took in about ten tons of coal in bags and 
stowed them away on deck. Took in provisions, etc., to last us 
until we reached the Cape of Good Hope. Generally busy about 
the deck in fitting up and reeving off new gear aloft as a preventive 
against the heavy weather off the Cape. 

I went on shore in the morning on business, but soon, getting 
disgusted with the town, returned on board, perfectly satisfied 
to remain by the old Wachusett so long as we had no better place 
than Porto Grande to visit. There were but few white people 
in the town, the greater part being of African descent, speaking 
a jargon of Portuguese, English and French, with a little of the 
African dialect mingled with it. The houses are low and have a 
most miserable appearance, being painted a dirty white or cream 
color. Taken altogether, Porto Grande is the poorest place I 
have ever visited. 

Some excitement in the bay this afternoon as we watched the 
little whaler catch a whale that had happened to wander, with 
her calf, farther inside the bay than was prudent for her. 

May 3d. — In the forenoon I called all hands to quarters and 
exercised the gun crews in firing shot and shell, using Bird Rock 
as a target. Although this was the first time that our guns have 
been fired this cruise, the men did very good shooting. The old 
rock was hit several times, and every time that it was hit the 
crew of the little whaler would mount the "rail" and give three 
cheers. Thev seemed to be delighted with our exercise. 



NEWS FROM HOME, AT LAST! 77 

In the afternoon a large English mail steamer stopped here to 
coal — but still no news from home. 

May 4th. — The wind was very strong all day, rendering it very 
disagreeable for our boats to land. Consequently, very few of our 
officers went ashore. At one time the wind was so strong that we 
began dragging anchor, but checked it by letting out more cable. 
A small French steamer from the coast of Africa and an English 
collier from Cardiff came in — but still no news from home. 

Last night one of the deserters who was confined in double 
irons (hands ironed behind) jumped overboard, and undoubtedly 
the rascal was drowned alongside, as there was no chance for him 
to get ashore or to any of the vessels near us. 

May 5th. — At 8 a. m. the French gunboat Castor came in and 
anchored. Sent an officer aboard her with the usual proffers of 
services, etc. She had on board the governor of Senegambia and 
family, who were returning to France. But no news from home. 

May 6th. — At daylight the French mail steamer P/luse, from 
Marseilles for Bahia, came in and anchored, and at 8 a. m. two 
other French mail steamers came in. We sent a boat with an 
officer to each steamer for newspapers and news generally. By 
the PJluse we learned the sad tidings of President Lincoln's death 
and of the attempted murder of General Grant and Mr. Seward. 
As this was in all the different papers we were obliged to believe 
it, and, consequently, we all felt low-spirited all day and had the 
flag at half-mast. 

In connection with this we also heard the glorious news of 
the surrender of General Lee's whole army and other glorious 
tidings, which, upon the whole, may be considered good news, 
and that the war is about terminated, and that the death of the 
President, although very sad at this time, will not delay the 
progress of our victorious arms, but will rather fire the Northern 
hearts. All the papers that we received to-day, English, French 
.and Portuguese, strongly favor our government and acknowledge 
that peace will soon follow. But it is also rumored that the United 
States have made a very large demand on England for her share 
in the Confederate commerce destroyers, and that we have re- 
called Mr. Adams from the Court of St. James; and in that case 
war must follow. As far as the navy is concerned, I think that 
we all, officers and men, will rejoice when official information is 
received of that fact, for I believe that we can punish England in 



78 A ROMANTIC CRUISE 

the manner she richly deserves for the part she took in the Civil 
War. 

On account of the arrival of these mail steamers the quiet 
harbor of Porto Grande was very lively, and by looking at the 
shipping a stranger would imagine that the town would be one 
of some consequence instead of a place like it is. The Piluse 
anchored within half a ship's length of us and had a great number 
of lady passengers on board, but being unable to talk French we 
could not call upon them, which we regretted exceedingly for 
several reasons. 

May 7th (Sunday). — At 10 a. m. called all hands to quarters 
and carefully inspected the crew and the ship fore and aft, and 
then read divine service to the officers and men assembled on the 
quarter-deck. After this, the captain read to the crew the tele- 
graphic message in regard to the death of President Lincoln and 
the surrender of the Confederate army under General Lee. We 
hoisted the colors at half-mast and fired half-hour guns all day 
as a slight token of our regard for our worthy President. In 
reading over the papers in regard to the excitement in the United 
States we all wished, time and time again, that we were at home 
to partake of the joys, etc., instead of being bound to the distant 
East, where we will be, in a measure, unable to receive all the news 
of the day. 

Blowing very hard all day, the Wachusett dragging both anchors 
with ninety fathoms of chain out, no sea on and close in to the 
land — weather shore one-eighth of a mile distant. Of course we 
were not able to lower any of the boats, so none of the officers left 
the ship all day. 

May 8th. — This morning we again exercised the gun crews at 
firing at Bird Rock. Although this is only the second time our 
guns have been fired in this cruise we were all most agreeably 
surprised at the firing, for of all the shells fired from the rifles 
only one missed the target ; and that was not the fault in the point- 
ing, for the shell, instead of going direct, "tumbled" and fell 
short. All of the passengers in the mail steamers were up with 
their glasses watching the effect of each shot, and, as each one 
struck where we desired, I have no doubt that all outsiders could 
not help admiring it, for it was truly one of the finest target prac- 
tices from a ship in motion that I have ever seen, and, in fact, 
it could not be excelled bv the best-drilled crew in the service. 



OFF PORT PRAYA 79 

In the afternoon I allowed some of the men to go out fishing 
in the cutter. I went on shore for a short time, just to see 
some of the passengers (from the mail steamers) who happened to 
be on shore. At sunset the French mail steamer Estra Madura 
left the harbor, bound for Bordeaux. She carried our mails for 
the glorious United States. How I sincerely wish that I was also 
bound to that glorious land, instead of to the distant East. 

May 9th. — The paymaster went on shore to pay the ship's bills 
so we could leave port, and at 1 p. m. I reported to our commander 
"That the ship was ready for sea." As we are short of provisions 
the captain intends to run down to Port Praya, and, as we have 
only one hundred and seventy-five miles to run, we did not get 
under way until dark. At 8 p. m. called " all hands, up anchor," 
and stood out of the harbor to the south under a low head of 
steam. We ran down the coast of St. Vincent, and then headed 
out to sea to the southeast for the island of St. Jago, which we 
expect to make a little after daylight. 

To-night is beautiful, the sea very smooth, trade winds blowing 
quite fresh, and it is quite warm. The moon is full and shining 
in all its glory, with the great Southern Cross very bright in the 
southern horizon. All the officers are in excellent spirits and over- 
joyed in getting clear of the miserable Portuguese port of Porto 
Grande. 

May 10th. — Under light steam and fore-and-aft sail all night, 
standing to the southeast. At daylight the northern part of the 
island of St. Jago was in sight under our lee, distant about thirty- 
five miles. We are steaming down the coast of the island within 
three miles of land. At 4 p. m. we came to anchor in the harbor 
of Port Praya and were visited by the American Consul, Mr. 
Moose. The harbor is a roadstead open to the south, but the re- 
mainder is surrounded by high cliffs and the town is built on a 
plateau several hundred feet above the sea. As we anchored we 
saw an American brig getting under way, and sending a boat 
alongside learned that she was bound for Boston direct. We at 
once put mail aboard of her. 

Sent the paymaster ashore to buy provisions for our cruise. 

May 11th. — Some of the officers visited shore to-day. Those 
remaining aboard endeavored to catch a shark that persisted in 
remaining near the ship. No luck. 

May 12th. — At 9.30 a.m. called all hands to general quarters 



80 A ROMANTIC CRUISE 

and exercised at the great guns. Fired two rounds from each gun 
at a target in the cliffs, distant about eight hundred yards. Did 
very good firing, but some shots from the 32-pounders went over 
the target and back in the country beyond, where they might have 
hurt some one. 

After quarters I went on shore to see the town, but it being so 
very hot and dusty, I went only up one block to a store, remained 
there an hour and returned to the ship disgusted — for, while I 
was away, four very pretty Portuguese ladies had just visited the 
ship with their friends and a couple of our officers. In the 
evening I go ashore with our captain to dine with the Governor- 
General. 

(Philip's Journal continued in Chapter VIII.) 



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CHAPTER VII 

REMINISCENCES OF REAR-ADMIRAL PHILIP 

Rear-Admiral Francis John Higginson, U. S. N. 

WHEN a life-long friend suddenly departs and, 
crossing the great divide, leaves you with 
only a sacred memory enshrined in your 
heart, you realize, perhaps for the first time, how much 
beyond all wealth and honor is the attachment we form 
in this life to noble souls. Friendships are beacon lights 
illuminating our pathway through life and the longer they 
burn, the brighter they become. Happy the man who can 
pursue his journey to the end without his pathway being 
darkened by the extinguishment of one of these lights. 

These thoughts crowd upon me when I think of the 
death of the late Rear- Admiral John W. Philip. My 
first recollection of the late Rear- Admiral Philip is 
when we were boys together at the Naval Academy from 
1857 to 1861. He was three years older than myself 
and his intimates at the school were among an older set 
of boys, but I used to see a great deal of him, and formed 
at that time a friendship which lasted through life. 

As a boy, Philip was overflowing with animal life and 
spirits and dearly loved a practical joke, a passion of 
which I, with others, was often the victim. His humor, 
however, was so spontaneous and free hearted that it 
was impossible, even for the victim, not to join in the 
laughter. There was nothing malicious or mean about 
this fun, and if, unintentionally, he gave offense, he was 



82 REMINISCENCES OF REAR-ADMIRAL PHILIP 

always ready to make amends for it in the most honest 
and manly way. 

Philip was very good in mathematics, and in after life 
became an excellent navigator. He did not stand so 
high in languages, and his struggles with French, as well 
as my own, used to afford us no end of amusement. He 
did well in all practical exercises, and there was at all 
times with Philip a reservoir of force, of which he seemed 
himself to be unconscious, but which throughout life 
enabled him to solve, on the spur of the moment, many 
professional problems to which he had not previously 
given much thought or study. 

While he was not himself a technical officer, he was 
quick to seize upon that knowledge in others and allying 
with it his own force and push, before which all ob- 
stacles seemed to vanish, carried the work in hand to a 
successful completion. And his acknowledgments for 
such assistance were always most full and complimentary ; 
no officer who ever worked with Philip for the accom- 
plishment of an improvement or a reform failed to re- 
ceive proper credit for his work. 

The most striking example of this was the way in 
which he put the Texas into a righting condition just 
before the Spanish War. When he took command of her, 
he found that the mechanism of her turret guns was so 
defective that the guns could not be fired except at long 
intervals. To remedy this he bent all his energies, 
knowing that, if called upon to encounter a vessel of the 
enemy this extreme slowness of fire might be the cause 
of his defeat. He found most efficient coadjutors 
in Lt. Haeseler and Lt. Bristol, who with remarkable 
ingenuity and mechanical skill, devised a system of 
mechanism by which the guns could be fired with great 
comparative rapidity. 



AN IDEAL SHIP-KEEPER 83 

Philip, taking Lt. Haeseler with him, visited the Navy 
Department, and overcoming a certain amount of red 
tape by his arguments, succeeded in having the work 
done as he desired, and under the supervision of Lt. 
Haeseler, so that in her final action she was quite as 
efficient in gun fire as any vessel in Sampson's fleet. 

I did not meet Philip during the Civil War, that is in 
action, although in the same squadron with him off 
Charleston. His most serious engagement was, I be- 
lieve, in the Pawnee, under Captain Balch, where Philip 
was wounded, and where he received great praise from 
his commanding officer. My most intimate association 
with Philip as messmate and shipmate began when he 
was transferred to the Hartford as executive, from the 
Wachusett in 1867. This was on the China station and 
we returned to New York in the summer of 1868. After- 
ward, in the Mediterranean, I joined the Richmond as 
navigator, of which vessel Philip was executive officer. 

The Richmond was famous in the squadron for her 
exercises with sails and spars. This was all done, during 
the hot weather, before breakfast, Philip taking charge 
of the deck at seven o'clock and keeping it until eight, 
when, after spreading awnings, coiling up the gear and 
sweeping decks, the crew would be "piped to breakfast." 
We had a splendid crew and they threw themselves with 
enthusiasm into this early morning work, not only on 
account of their ambition to excel every other vessel 
of the squadron, which they did, but because it gave 
them a rest during the remainder of the day and en- 
abled them to keep clean during the day the white 
clothes, which they had put on at breakfast time. 

His reputation as an executive was excelled by none 
and equaled by few. He seemed to have, also, a re- 
markable success in attaining the favor and respect of 



84 REMINISCENCES OF REAR-ADMIRAL PHILIP 

his commanding officers, who, although varying in dis- 
position and temperament, were contented to allow 
Philip to maintain the routine and discipline of the ship 
in his own way, and when he became captain he treated 
his own executives in like manner. 

He had a great scorn of conventionalities, and his 
innate shyness made him avoid society, balls and parties. 
Whenever we were going to give an entertainment on 
board, Philip, after rendering all the assistance in his 
power to make it a success, would generally, when the 
time came for the guests to arrive, go ashore. Nor did 
he frequent clubs, but would preferably when abroad go 
to some quiet American home, where an American tea 
table and American instead of English customs were 
kept up. 

Although most of my intimacy with Rear-Admiral 
Philip was in his young days, I can truly say that I never 
heard him swear or saw him drink. He never touched 
liquor after leaving the Naval Academy in 1861. He 
had once, while a cadet, felt the evil effects of liquor and, 
without any persuasion, but of his own free will, he said 
to himself, "I will never touch another drop of that 
stuff as long as I live," and he never did. 

He had the most chivalrous regard for good women, 
and though very shy in their presence, no man would 
sacrifice himself more to do them service. Whatever 
he did was done with all the intensity of his strong na- 
ture, and during the Spanish War, I could not help com- 
paring him to one of Cromwell's Puritans, who could 
pray and fight with equal vigor. 

He was a good ship keeper and every part of his ship 
was scrupulously clean. Before his promotion to com- 
mand rank, Philip never went to sea in any other ca- 
pacity than that of executive officer, except once in the 



A DARING FEAT OF SEAMANSHIP 85 

Richmond, in which vessel he was for a short time navi- 
gator. I think he told me he never stood a regular deck 
watch in his life. This, of course, was owing to the fact 
that he left the Naval Academy just at the commence- 
ment of the Civil War, when there was a life size premium 
upon regular graduates. His first detail after leaving 
the Naval Academy was to the sloop of war Marion as 
executive officer. She was a sailing vessel and Philip 
was twenty-one years of age. 

It is related that, while cruising off Havana in this 
vessel, the captain thought he would like to go ashore 
and call upon our consul general. As the breeze was 
blowing directly out of the harbor the Marion stood 
in close to the entrance, when the captain took his gig 
and pulled ashore, leaving Philip to look after the vessel 
until his return, without giving him any particular 
directions as to his movements. Philip, thinking he 
would like to have a look at Havana himself, began 
beating into the harbor, which, although the entrance 
is very narrow he was enabled to do, owing to the 
Marion being such a quick working vessel. 

Just as he got to the narrow part of the entrance where, 
on making short tacks he had to approach very close to 
the shore, a familiar voice came over the water, saying, 
" Young man, what are you doing with my ship?" It 
was not, however, a moment to enter into explanations 
and Philip continued to work into the harbor and an- 
chored, and made his peace with the captain afterward. 
Probably the latter, who was one of the crack sailors of 
the old navy, was not so much displeased to see the 
"youngster" just out of the Naval Academy perform 
such a difficult piece of seamanship. This performance 
was typical of Philip in dealing with new situations. It 
was always "Vaudace et toujours de Vaudace." 



86 REMINISCENCES OF REAR-ADMIRAL PHILIP 

Philip was in no sense a war "jingo," but if it came 
in the line of his duty he did his best, both for his coun- 
try and his God. Intimate as I was with Philip, it was 
some time before I fully appreciated the strength and 
depth of the new religious life which had been engrafted 
upon his rugged nature. He never paraded it, nor 
obtruded it upon his friends and I of course did not 
penetrate the sacredness of his reserve. 

I was inexpressibly pleased to have him near me on 
the blockade off Santiago. It seemed such a fitting 
" round up" to our life-long friendship that we should be 
alongside of each other in the final act of the drama. 
His station was next to mine on the blockade and we 
would often visit each other and exchange "wig wag" 
signals. He used to be quite envious of what he called 
my "roof garden," which was a little cabin built on the 
bridge deck of the Massachusetts, where I slept, and out- 
side of which, under an awning, I often had my meals 
served. Here he would sometimes join me, and with 
a fresh trade wind blowing, and looking over the water 
at the surrounding battleships, the Moro, and the beau- 
tiful background of mountains back of Santiago, we 
obtained a pleasant respite from the terrible heat of our 
cabins. He had no such arrangement on the Texas and 
used to envy me my good fortune. 

On one occasion while on the blockade, when the crew 
of the Massachusetts were loading the secondary battery, 
one of the men accidentally fired off one of the small guns 
which, at the time, was pointed directly toward the 
Texas. I was, naturally, very anxious about the result, 
but presently the "wig wag" flag on board the Texas 
sent to me this message from Philip: "Good line shot, 
but a little high," the shot having gone directly over the 
Texas. 




Interested spectators aboard the Texas. 
(By courtesy of the Century Company.) 



"the science of living among men" 87 

On another occasion, when the fleet under Admiral 
Sicard was at anchor at Dry Tortugas, we were ordered 
to proceed to sea by the northern channel. On the way 
out the Texas, which preceded the Massachusetts, touched 
bottom upon an uncharted coral reef in the middle of 
the channel, but without serious injury. After we were 
outside, Philip signaled to me "Texas luck; struck bot- 
tom in eight fathoms [forty-eight feet]." 

While a strict disciplinarian, in those days Philip was 
always just and consequently popular with the crew, 
although without any unofficer-like efforts to obtain their 
favor. But I think where he showed the greatest tact 
and force of character was injiis management of the 
wardroom, a problem much more difficult than with the 
crew. This quality has been styled the science of living 
among men. There is no other thing that is so taxing, 
requires so much education, so much wisdom and prac- 
tice, as the art of living among our fellow men justly and 
charitably and harmoniously, j ; ; ■ 

(ipn importance this art exceeds all other skill and 
knowledge; and Philip possessed it to a high degree. 
What with his tact, good nature, firmness and ability, 
it was impossible to have a discordant mess where Philip 
was executive officer. 

I remember one Saturday a council of war was being 
held aboard the New York when the subject of a proposed 
attack upon the batteries was being considered. Samp- 
son and his staff officers were telling the captains what 
was expected of them and furnishing them with the 
general order which had been drawn up for the occasion. 
Philip drew Sampson aside in the cabin and said to him 
with concentrated earnestness, "Sampson, don't you 
do it." 

"Do what?" said Sampson. 



88 REMINISCENCES OF REAR-ADMIRAL PHILIP 

" Don't you fight on Sunday." 

"Why?" 
„ " Because," said Philip, "if you search all history, you 
will find that whoever fired the first shot on Sunday was 
defeated." 

This proposition was immediately assailed by the 
Philistine captains, but Philip stood his ground with 
simple and sincere earnestness, strong in his faith; and 
Sampson, who was himself a religious man, said in his 
simple way, "Well, gentlemen, there seems to be some 
objection to fighting this action on Sunday, and I must 
confess that I was brought up that way myself, so we 
will postpone the attack until Monday." 

I have never been able to verify Philip's statement 
about battles fought on Sunday, but that he earnestly 
and religiously believed in the truth of it was apparent 
to the whole council. 

At the finish, on the glorious third of July, 1898, kind 
Fortune took Philip by the hand and led him up the 
heights of national glory, while she led the Massachusetts, 
after thirty-seven days of hard blockading duty, in- 
gloriously away to Guantanamo for coal. Upon no 
braver heart nor more tender soul could such good for- 
tune have fallen and, while bemoaning my own sad fate, 
I rejoiced most heartily in that of my life-long friend, 
and I rejoice now that before he departed this life he 
rose to the height of a nation's esteem. 

It may be said of him that he achieved distinction 
and overcame the obstacles in his path by the force 
of his will and the strength of his character. And 
in this respect his example may well be followed by 
the young men of our land. His moral victory over 
himself was far greater than the one at Santiago over the 
Spaniards. No one, perhaps, except his wife, knows 



HIS EMBARRASSMENT IN PUBLIC SPEAKING 89 

better than myself the struggle with his shy nature which 
Philip must have had to make the public declaration 
of his faith which he did upon the quarter deck of his 
ship and yet, if he had made a vow beforehand, to do so, 
no embarrassment would have stopped him. After the 
war, when he became commandant of the New York 
Navy Yard, Philip entered with enthusiasm into the 
project of a Sailors' Rest, a subject which had occupied 
my own attention while Captain of the Navy Yard before 
the Spanish War. 

Here again we found ourselves working in sympathy 
along the same lines, and for one of the best enterprises 
which has been brought forward in the navy in my day, 
and one which will, I sincerely trust, have a beneficial and 
lasting effect upon the service. Working in harmony 
with the International Committee of the Y. M. C. A. 
Philip addressed parlor and public meetings upon this 
subject. This was, of course, perfect torture to him, as 
he would rather face a thousand batteries than the small- 
est audience. 

His embarrassment in speaking was so evident and 
so pathetic that the warm sympathy of his audience 
always went out to him, and he found his way into their 
hearts by his honest, sailor-like bearing, no matter what 
he said. It is, I am told, largely due to his influence that 
a good and beneficent lady of New York City, whose 
name is enthroned in the hearts of our sailors, has en- 
dowed so liberally the Sailors' Rest now being erected in 
Brooklyn. May she live long to enjoy the contempla- 
tion of her good work and may the sailors of our navy 
never cease to render her homage. 

When as one of the pall bearers I followed the hearse 
bearing the body of my departed friend, from the chapel 
at Annapolis to the burying ground upon the hill over- 



90 REMINISCENCES OF REAR-ADMIRAL PHILIP 

looking the Severn (through the same grounds and amid 
the same scenes in which we had passed so many boy- 
hood days together) I thought of how through all the 
long subsequent years, in sunshine and in storm, in peace 
and in war, he had toiled up the liill of life. Joyously at 
first in the exuberance of youth and the easy ascent, 
stumbling a little, but never failing. Drinking a little, 
but not too deeply, from the fountains of pleasure, which 
line the base of the hill. Struggling on at the last more 
slowly and laboriously, but ever bravely, bending under 
the cares and burdens, official and private, which had 
come upon him, but with a firm tread and a bright eye. 
Finally reaching the summit, a pilgrim footsore and 
weary, he sinks to rest and his soul, wafted to Heaven, 
is welcomed above by the sweet music of the Heavenly 
choir singing "Well done, thou good and faithful ser- 
vant ; enter thou into the joy of tlry Lord." 

As the young gentlemen of the Naval Academy pause at 
the grave of Rear-Admiral Philip, and read upon his 
tombstone those noble words: " Don't cheer, men; those 
poor devils are dying," let them be inspired and ele- 
vated by the grandeur of the sentiment, and let them 
resolve that they also, living or dying, will leave in the 
example of their lives an immutable legacy to their 
country and to the Navy. 



CHAPTER VIII 

AT PORT PRAYA 

ONE of the prominent traits in " Jack" Philip's char- 
acter was that he usually expressed himself 
bluntly — very much to the point — whether in 
complimentary or condemnatory tones. His comments on 
the inhabitants of the various ports at which the Wachusett 
touched are very much like the man himself, "straight 
from the shoulder"; but in justice to the subject of this 
memorial, it should be remembered that, in all probability, 
Philip never expected that what he was writing in his 
private diary would ever be placed before the public in cold 
type. As we read over the time-discolored pages of his 
journal, we feel that we are in the sacred presence of 
the inner man himself and that we should regard his 
criticisms as what he "thought to himself" rather than 
a public declaration before his fellow-men. 

philip's journal of a cruise 
(Continued from page 80.) 

Port Praya, May 13th, 1865. — At the Consul's last night we 
met the Governor-General of the Cape de Verdes, his private 
secretary and two of his aides, with a few other gentlemen. 
Although none of their party could speak English and none of us 
could speak Portuguese, no one language being common to us both, 
yet we all seemed to enjoy ourselves throughout the evening. 

Visited the shore to-day for a horseback ride and to see the 
fertile portion of the island — if that could be found ! The town of 
Port Praya is the chief port in the group and formerly was the 
rendezvous of our African squadron. It resembles all Portuguese 



92 AT PORT PRAYA 

towns, the houses being all of the one-story-with-tile-roof style 
and all painted with that miserable, dirty yellow which is so com- 
mon on the African coast. The town formerly was quite a pleasant 
place to visit, it being the seat of government for the islands and 
there was some good society here. Burt now there are no places 
of interest, either in the city or on the island. 

For the past three years there has been no rain, consequently 
there is a great amount of starvation and suffering. One cannot 
walk through the streets without being continually reminded of 
the sad condition in which the poorer class are. They are 
dying from starvation day by day. Last year about twenty 
thousand people starved to death and the Governor told us that 
at least twenty-five thousand would starve this year. I visited 
a pen or stockade, just outside the city, where there were about 
twenty-three hundred men, women and children in the last stages 
of starvation. They are kept up by the government, which gives 
them about a quart of common yellow corn, boiled, per day. 
They are dying continually and those who are yet alive present 
the most horrible pictures you can imagine. Pen cannot describe 
it. They reminded me (in bodily condition only) most of our 
noble soldiers as they appeared when returned from Andersonville 
or other Confederate prisons. 

I was walking with the Consul along the street and, on seeing 
a woman fall (just alive) in the middle of the street, asked the 
cause of it. He replied "starvation" and said that to see people 
fall from that cause was a common sight to him lately. If it 
should rain now it would do but little good for some time to come, 
for as the Governor said, the people are "too feeble to work the 
soil." Yet there seems to be salt provisions enough stored away. 
Any one can get them by paying cash. On the whole Port Praya 
is a place that is not worth visiting. 

At 3 p. m. the English sloop of war Zebra came in and anchored. 
When she first approached the harbor we suspected her to be the 
Shenandoah or Alabama (for there was a strong resemblance) 
and being in hopes that she would turn out a Confederate cruiser 
we got up steam, got ready for slipping the chain cable and made 
preparations for immediate action. As she came into the harbor 
she persisted in keeping her colors in such a line with her masts 
that we could not make them out until she came to anchor, when 
we sent a boat aboard and found that she was a genuine John Bull. 



a visit to st. George's plantation 93 

May 14th (Sunday). — After divine service this morning the 
captain and second lieutenant of the Zebra came aboard the Wa- 
chusett and inspected her thoroughly. The English governor of 
Sierra Leone is a passenger in the Zebra, homeward bound. To- 
day, as the two governdfs, English and Portuguese, paid their 
official visits to each other there were four national salutes fired. 

In the evening I went with our captain to make an official call 
aboard the Englishman. On getting aboard and meeting several 
other officers from another warship, including the governor and 
captain of the port, I did not return to the Wachusett until late at 
night — having spent a "jolly time" on board. 

May 15th. — At daylight this morning the Zebra got under way 
and went to sea bound for Porto Grande, where the English gov- 
ernor takes a steamer for home. As it was blowing quite fresh 
to-day and a heavy swell setting in from southward we could not 
bring off any provisions, consequently we are detained another 
twenty-four hours. 

May 16th. — Blowing quite fresh all day, so we could not send a 
boat ashore. As the wind increased the ship began to drag her 
anchor, so we let go another, which brought her up when the rocks 
and breakers were close astern. 

May 17th. — During the forenoon I exercised the crew in furling 
sail, then in crossing and in sending down the topgallant yards, 
and continued the exercise until I got a little tired myself and the 
men were quite proficient in their duties. 

I went on shore with Pegram and Latch, and after attending to 
a little business, we hired three horses and rode out to the planta- 
tion of St. George, distant about five miles. During the rainy 
season it is a most beautiful place; and even now it is beautiful, 
the grounds being laid out splendidly. They contain all sorts of 
trees and shrubs. All the tropical fruits can be seen and gathered 
there, from the orange, pineapple, cocoanut, down to small spice. 

While wandering around the grounds we fell in with the pro- 
prietor, Sefior Henriques, who is the acting English, French, Bel- 
gian and Russian consul. He invited us up to his house and re- 
freshed us, after our hot and tedious ride, with an excellent lunch. 
While enjoying our cigars we were entertained by the most charm- 
ing music. On the whole, it was the most pleasant day I have had 
for some time. We returned to the ship at sunset very tired, but 
pleased with our day's work. 



94 AT PORT PRAYA 

May 18th. — During the forenoon I exercised the crew in furling 
sail and crossing and sending down the topgallant yards. Al- 
though this is only the second time the men have been exercised 
I can see an improvement and am in great hopes of their pro- 
ficiency before the end of the cruise. For the remainder of the 
day I was receiving provisions in the paymaster's department, but 
very, very slowly. It is enough to sicken one with the continual 
delays at the beginning of so long a cruise ! 

May 19th. — Made preparations for getting to sea, secured every 
thing on deck for a long passage and at 11.30 a. m. called "all 
hands up anchor." But on heaving in we found that we had lost 
our [port] anchor, it having become unshackled in some way. 
Consequently we were delayed in getting under way and were 
obliged to drag for it. Called away and manned both cutters and 
sent them ahead to drag. About sunset they got fast, but upon 
heaving in it proved to be the other [starboard] anchor; and 
having raised it in this style we were obliged to get up steam and 
move ahead, as we were close to heavy breakers. After mancever- 
ing around we finally anchored, about 9 p. m., for the night. Thus 
we are again delayed. 

Busy all night in repacking salt pork on deck. 

May 20th. — Began at daylight and continued all day dragging 
for our lost " bower " [anchor] but with no other success than finding 
the position of it on the bottom. I went out once in the dingey 
with an " arrangement " to see the bottom but I could not find it, 
the water being too rough; yet I could see the bottom distinctly 
in eight fathoms [forty-eight feet]. None of the boats were al- 
lowed to visit the shore to-day, as we are under "sailing orders" 
and will leave just as soon as the anchor is again at the bow. 

May 21st (Sunday). — Began at daylight to drag for the anchor 
and continued until sunset, when we got fast to it. But on getting 
a strain on the hawser our hold slipped and we again lost it; so 
one more day has been employed in fruitless search and I am afraid 
that the anchor will have to be marked on the ledger as " expended" 
and the Wachusett obliged to go to sea one anchor short. 

At sunset I went on shore to engage some divers to go down in 
the morning; and it remains to be seen with what success. While 
on shore I called to bid farewell to some friends and while there 
I saw an image, of the patron saint (St. Anthony) in a dish of water 
with his "feet up.". These people believe that our ship cannot 



DRAGGING FOR AN ANCHOR 95 

sail until St. Anthony comes with his "head up" and then we can 
sail under a blessing. 

May 22d. — Dragging all day but with no success, the divers at 
work also, but they could see nothing of the anchor on the bottom. 
The remainder of the day passed tediously on board, all very anx- 
ious to leave the port and get to sea again. 

A couple of the officers were allowed to visit town to-day, they 
having got engaged to some fair Portuguese during our short and 
indefinite stay — much to the amusement of the mess and disgust 
to themselves. What foolishness, eh! 

May 23d. — The same old duties to-day, namely, dragging the 
harbor in hopes of finding the lost anchor. Once we found it and 
the divers, on going down, returned and reported that the anchor 
was so far under the sand that it would be almost impossible to 
get it again. We will still try again. 

The " affair" [of the " couple of officers"] on shore is getting very 
serious. 

May 24th. — Dragging for the anchor, the same as before, until 
noon, when meeting with no success, we discontinued for the day. 

We introduced nine different kinds of the African monkey on 
board for amusement and mischief. 

May 25th. — At daylight this morning we got under way and 
ran in near the position of our lost anchor, let go the other anchor 
and dragged it about in hopes of catching on the missing one. 
Struck it once, fortunately, and tore it out of its bed. After break- 
fast sent the cutters out to drag for it but with no success — and 
thus another day is lost! 

May 26th. — Got under way again at daylight and dragged for 
the anchor with fifteen fathoms of chain all about the position of 
the lost one. After breakfast sent the cutters out again and con- 
tinued dragging, but without success. At 4 p. m. hoisted the boat 
"recalls," gave up the search and marked the anchor down as 
"expended" on the ledger and logbook. Transported the port 
sheet anchor to the bow for a "bower" and made all preparations 
for sea, securing everything snugly about the deck. 

We have now spent one month in and around the Cape de Verdes 
and have burnt up and used nearly as much coal and provisions as 
we received upon our arrival — and we still have the long trip to 
the Cape of Good Hope before us with a very scant supply of 
everything. 



96 AT PORT PRAYA 

May 27th. — At daylight made preparations for getting under 
way, but as the paymaster had not yet settled up all the bills he 
was obliged to go ashore and this delayed us a few hours more. At 
9 a. m., having finished up everything in Porto Praya, we stood 
out to sea, much to the joy of all on board, for we all were sick and 
disgusted with the town. After getting clear of the harbor we 
put on all sail to studding sails and shaped the course for the Cape 
of Good Hope. 

(Philip's Journal continued in Chapter X.) 



CHAPTER IX J 

REFORMING A HOODOO SHIP 

Lieutenant Francis J. Haeseler, U.S.N. 

TOWARD the close of the summer of 1897 the 
officers of the battleship Texas were beginning 
to wonder who would relieve Captain William 
Clinton Wise, then commanding that ship, and of course 
were very hopeful that it would be some one who would 
command their respect and admiration and keep the ship 
as happy as it then was. It was with the greatest 
relief and pleasure we heard our new captain was to be 
John Woodward Philip — "Jack" Philip is the name he 
was always known by in the service — and while we re- 
gretted losing Captain Wise, still we all felt that he could 
not be better succeeded than by the man who was 
coming. 

During the following winter, that of 1897-98, the 
North Atlantic Squadron under Rear-Admiral Sicard 
went south for winter practice, and while we were in 
Tortugas Captain Philip, whose term of sea service had 
nearly expired, expected his detachment at any time, 
and his relief had been practically settled upon. He 
frequently spoke to us of the officer who was coming to 
relieve him and what he would do toward continuing 
the work on the Texas, tending to increase her efficiency 
as a fighting machine. 

Then the news of the sinking of the Maine came and 
we heard nothing further on the subject of a change in 



98 REFORMING A HOODOO SHIP 

command. On the contrary, the captain's entire energies 
seemed to be devoted to doing what he could to have the 
ship ordered at once to a navy yard where certain work, 
which he believed to be desirable and necessary and 
which had been approved by the Bureau of Ordnance, 
could be started. He saw clearly that war was inevit- 
able and to command a ship which was as handicapped 
as the Texas was preyed upon his mind, and he made 
every effort to get where the repairs could be effected. 
He finally succeeded in getting orders to proceed north 
and with Lieutenant Commander Delehanty, who had 
but recently been relieved from the position of executive 
officer of the Texas, easily succeeded in getting Mr. 
Roosevelt, then the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 
interested in the proposed changes. 

Mr. Roosevelt finally persuaded the Secretary of the 
Navy to authorize the work to be done and to that end 
the ship was ordered to the New York Navy Yard, where 
the repairs were successfully made. The ship then went 
to Hampton Roads and joined the Flying Squadron. 
While we were lying there Captain Philip's efforts to 
get the ship in the highest possible state of efficiency 
continued and in every way we were preparing for every 
emergency liable in battle. 

On the way down to Key West and until we actually 
took the ship into battle the captain was most energetic 
and painstaking in carrying on necessary drills tending 
to fit us for action, and he showed his great tact and 
knowledge of human nature by not having useless, tire- 
some drills and inspections which would only kill the 
men's interest. 

When we finally arrived on the blockade off Santiago, 
his arrangement of the ship's force at night was excellent. 
He provided for their comfort and yet had probably as 



A HAPPY SHIP'S COMPANY 99 

many, if not more lookouts (lookouts that were awake 
and alive to the seriousness of the situation), as on any 
ship of the squadron. He himself at night slept on a 
narrow transom in the chart house, where he was always 
ready for instant call, and at all hours of the night he 
would be liable to waken and come out and chat with 
the officer of the deck, to the latter's great enjoyment, 
for we all were pleased to have him around, as he never 
interfered or made us feel uncomfortable in any way. 

Shortly after joining the ship he informed us that 
there was no bulkhead between the wardroom and cabin 
and that we should never think of sending our names in 
by the orderly, but we were to come in unannounced. 
At the same time he would stroll into our quarters at any 
time, and it was an exceptional thing for a day to go by 
without the captain coming into the wardroom for a 
smoke and chat. He took the keenest interest in our 
mess ; and made each one of us feel that he was a friend 
and we had no hesitancy about going to him at any time. 
At the same time no one ever heard of any one being un- 
duly familiar or taking any advantage of his free and 
easy manner with us. 

The ship's crew and officers were very happy and con- 
tented during the entire blockade, and it was all due to 
the way the "old man" treated us. Our first engage- 
ment was with the Spanish fort, La Socapa, and after 
the engagement was over Admiral Sampson made 
general signal "The firing at the western batteries (La 
Socapa) was very good, especially that of the Texas." 
Shortly after this the ship went to Guantanamo for coal 
and was there during the time the marines had their four 
days' fight on shore. 

About a week later the Texas was sent up to the same 

harbor, Guantanamo, to destroy the forts which defended 
ILoffC: 



100 REFORMING A HOODOO SHIP 

the town. Captain Philip took the ship up the channel, 
and though the presence of torpedoes was feared, the 
ship went up until she was in the mud, and from that 
position opened fire on the forts and, assisted by the 
Marblehead under Commander McCalla and the Suawnee 
under Lieutenant Commander Delehanty, proceeded to 
carry out her orders to destroy the forts. 

It was during the passage of this channel that we dis- 
lodged a torpedo and, when we got it on board, found 
the dent made by our propeller blade between two of 
the contact arms for firing the torpedo. The torpedo 
was brought to us by a launch from the Marblehead, 
which had also dislodged at least one of them, and the 
captain, seeing the dent remarked, "Cracky, but that 
was a close call!" — and that was all. 

In going up the channel and in coming down the ship 
passed within fifty yards of a point covered with under- 
growth and after we had passed, on the way out, fire 
was opened from this point on the launch of the Marble- 
head. Captain Philip directed the Suawnee to go to the 
assistance of the launch, which she did, and after a vig- 
orous shelling of the point by the Suawnee the firing was 
silenced. The next day a landing was effected at this 
point and a large number of dead Spanish soldiers was 
found there. The remarkable thing about it was that, 
when the Texas passed so very close (with her bridge full 
of officers standing near the captain), the Spaniards did 
not open fire. Had they done so, the chances are that 
every officer on that bridge would have suffered. 

After the forts were destroyed the Texas turned, came 
down the channel, proceeded out to sea and back to her 
station off Santiago, being cheered by the crews of the 
Marblehead and St. Paul as she passed out. One of the 
officers of the latter ship said later: "It was one of the 



1 KILLED AND 8 WOUNDED IN THE TEXAS 101 

incidents of the war. The Texas came in at full speed, 
slowed down, signaled the Marblehead to follow, went up, 
opened fire, destroyed the forts, came down again and 
went out to sea, all in the most matter of fact way imag- 
inable." 

It was while passing out the harbor that a press boat 
came alongside and, having just heard that it had been 
reported at home that he had been killed, Captain Philip 
hailed the boat and asked the reporters on board of it 
if they had seen in the papers that he was reported dead. 
The answer came back, "Yes." So the captain said, 
" Well, you may contradict that, for here I am alive, as 
you see." To which the press boat replied, "Yes, and 
very much alive at that." 

The next engagement in which the Texas participated 
was when we made a feint at landing west of La Socapa 
while the army was being landed at Daiquiri. On this 
occasion the ship engaged the western fort by itself and 
was hit in the bow by a 6-inch shell, losing one man 
killed and eight wounded. The fire from the Texas on 
this occasion, as on others, was excellent and the fort was 
completely silenced. Those stationed on the other ships 
of the squadron say that it was a glorious spectacle to 
see this one ship silence that fort; and they cheered the 
Texas again and again. 

After completely silencing the fort the ship was sig- 
naled to withdraw and coming within hail of the Brooklyn 
Captain Philip reported that the Texas had been struck, 
losing one man and having eight wounded. We had 
run out of 6-inch common shell and had been using armor 
piercing shell, which did not burst and were not as ef- 
fective as the common shell would have been under the 
circumstances. So when Commodore Schley hailed us 
and asked if he could help us in any way Captain Philip 



102 REFORMING A HOODOO SHIP 

replied: "The only help we want is plenty of 6-inch 
common shell," which was heartily applauded on the 
Brooklyn. 

That afternoon, immediately after burying poor 
Blakely [the man killed in the action], while the captain 
was standing on the quarter deck talking to one of his 
officers, the Massachusetts accidentally fired a gun; the 
shell passing within a few feet of the captain, directly 
over his head. He said to the officer to whom he was 
talking, "That was pretty close. I believe that came 
from Frank's (Captain Higginson) ship." And then 
calling to the officer of the deck he said, "Signal over 
to the Massachusetts and say: 'Thanks, good line, but 
a little over.' " which was accordingly done. Captain 
Higginson immediately signaled his regrets, saying that 
he thought we had been fired at enough in one day 
without our friends joining in. 

Several bombardments took place later on in which 
the Texas joined, but there was nothing of any impor- 
tance. On the morning of July 3d, when Cervera's fleet 
came out of Santiago, Captain Philip was in his cabin 
and the officer of the deck, Lieutenant Bristol, carried 
out his orders and headed directly for the enemy, going 
ahead at full speed. When the captain reached the 
bridge he kept the ship heading for the Spaniards until 
he saw them heading to the westward, when he turned 
with the starboard helm and stood along, on a gradually 
closing in course. The Iowa, Oregon and Texas were all 
in a bunch on about the same course. 

There was so much smoke that it was difficult to make 
out anything, but Captain Philip saw the Brooklyn start 
to make her now famous loop, and jumped to the en- 
gine room indicators and rung full speed astern. This 
certainly saved the ship, as the Brooklyn was on the star- 




Effect of modern shell aboard the Texas. 
(By courtesy of the Century Company.) 



A NARROW ESCAPE 103 

board bow and in such a position that unless we had 
turned away from the enemy with a starboard helm, 
backing the port engine, we never could have cleared 
her. It never entered Captain Philip's head for an 
instant to turn away from the enemy. He had one 
idea only and that was to carry out Admiral Sampson's 
orders, "to close in with the enemy and destroy them 
before they could get clear of the harbor entrance if 
possible." This reversal of the engines caused the 
Oregon and Iowa to pass us, but our superior speed en- 
abled us to pass the Iowa, although we could not catch up 
to the Oregon. 

During the fight Captain Philip stood on the upper 
bridge until the enemy seemed to be getting the range 
and we had been struck several times, then his officers 
insisted that he must go on the lower bridge, as most of 
the shell were going over us. This he consented to do 
and he had hardly left the upper bridge before a shell 
went crashing through the chart house, in such a direc- 
tion that the chances are he would have been in its path 
had he remained where he was. 

While he was on the lower bridge the forward 12-inch 
gun was fired repeatedly across the deck, the muzzle 
being very close to where the captain was standing now 
and then the discharge would knock him down or up 
against the conning tower. This occurred three times; 
one of the times he was completely dazed for some sec- 
onds and had to be helped to his feet, but although he 
had to shout his orders to the man at the wheel through 
the sight holes in the conning tower he would not go 
inside. 

During the chase of the Cristobal Colon he stood on the 
upper bridge and it was while passing the burning Viz- 
caya, then on the beach, that one of the midshipmen came 



104 REFORMING A HOODOO SHIP 

running forward and called out that the latter vessel was 
firing at us and that a shot had fallen within a few feet 
of our stern. The captain immediately gave orders to 
train the starboard 12-inch gun on that ship and as one 
of the officers, standing by, informed him that her colors 
were not flying, the captain leveled his glass to ascertain 
for himself, with the thought in his mind that the vessel 
in question was firing at him. 

Just then she blew up and our men let out a cheer. 
The captain dropped his glass, held his hand out with a 
quieting gesture and said, " Don't cheer men, those poor 
fellows are dying." It was a sight that can never be 
forgotten by those who were fortunate enough to see it, 
and showed the nobility and gentleness of the character 
of this remarkable man. 

The rest of the chase is well known, but one thing is 
not well known, namely, as soon as the Cristobal Colon 
hauled down her colors Captain Philip immediately or- 
dered the force draught stopped on the boilers. When 
one of the officers remonstrated, saying that we should 
get up to the Brooklyn and Oregon as quickly as possible, 
the captain said that our firemen had had hard enough 
work for four hours already, and there was no need of 
injuring the boilers. The result was that our speed fell 
from about sixteen knots to near ten and the length of 
time it took us to reach the Cristobal Colon at that speed 
was taken as a measure of our distance from her when 
she hauled down her colors — considering that we were 
still making about fifteen or sixteen knots. 

After the Cristobal Colon surrendered the captain grew 
much quieter in his manner than usual, and while the 
rest of us were congratulating each other and enjoying 
our victory and recalling amusing incidents during the 
fight, the captain was silent. Suddenly he told the ex- 



IN SILENT PRAYER 105 

ecutive to call all hands aft and when we were there, each 
and everyone of us expecting words of praise and con- 
gratulation for the way we had carried out his orders, 
he called on those who felt so inclined to stand bare- 
headed and offer up silent thanks to Him who had 
brought us safely through the danger to which we had 
been exposed. It was needless to say we did so, the 
greatest scoffer being silenced, and after a few moments 
when he put on his cap, ours went up with our hands in 
three cheers for our captain, who had led us through the 
fight and into the presence of our God. 



CHAPTER X; 

A MOMENTOUS VOYAGE 

WHETHER or not Philip had any faith in the dire 
predictions of the natives of Port Praya, that 
the voyage of the Wachusett would be attended 
with ill-luck because she sailed while the image of St. 
Anthony "came with his feet up," we have no means of 
ascertaining. We do know, however, that besides the 
loss of her anchor on the eve of her departure and the 
many unexpected and exasperating delays that had pro- 
tracted her stay in these waters to a month, she did 
enter upon a voyage that was destined to be full of an- 
noying and, in several instances, perilous incidents. 

As has already been shown in the preceding pages 
of Philip's diary, the Wachusett was poorly fitted out at 
Boston and some of her spars were dangerously unsound, 
so that when she reached Martinique they had to be un- 
shipped and replaced with reserve spars. The ship had 
touched at the Cape de Verdes for the purpose of obtain- 
ing enough provisions and coal to carry her in an un- 
broken passage to the Cape of Good Hope, yet she had 
been delayed so long that when she finally sailed from 
Port Praya she was almost as badly off for provisions 
and coal as when she arrived. The result was that in- 
stead of making a clean stretch to the Cape, Commander 
Townsend was compelled to put into a Brazilian port to 
avoid open mutiny among his crew. 

And it was here that a most serious and peculiar con- 



ST. ANTHONY WITH U FEET UP." 107 

dition confronted the Wachusett. It will be remembered 
that it was the Wachusett that violated the neutrality of 
the port of Bahia the year preceding by attacking and 
capturing in that harbor the Confederate cruiser Florida, 
with the result that the Brazilian Government issued an 
edict prohibiting the Wachusett from ever again entering 
a Brazilian port for any purpose whatever. 

With a perversity of luck which really seems quite 
in keeping with St. Anthony's 'feet up," and with a 
mutinous and starving crew and hardly enough coal 
aboard for one day's steaming, the cruiser encountered 
a series of terrific gales off this same coast of Brazil, so 
that Commander Townsend was compelled, by sheer force 
of circumstances, to seek port — with a result that is in- 
terestingly described in the journal. 

philip's journal of a cruise 

(Continued from Page 96) 

May 28th (Sunday). — We have now been out of Port Praya 
twelve hours and are shaping our course for the Cape of Good 
Hope. The wind had died nearly away and what little remained 
hauled almost ahead during the morning watch. Took in and 
furled all sail and continued on our course under steam alone. 
Excessively warm. The remainder of the day was spent by the 
crew as they pleased in reading, smoking and sleeping and trying 
to get out of the influence of the sun, but as it was nearly over- 
head, it was almost impossible to find shade. 

May 29th. — At 9 a. m. called all hands to general quarters, with 
the intention of giving them a long exercise at their different 
duties, but it being so unmercifully hot I soon "piped down" 
and allowed the men to seek what shade and comfort they could 
about the decks. The ship is steaming along under very reduced 
amount of coal (seven tons) while her full allowance was thirty 
tons for every twenty-four hours. To-day we are in the region of 
the doldrums and hope to get to the southeast trade winds to- 
morrow. 






108 A MOMENTOUS VOYAGE 

May 30th. — A beautiful, calm day throughout. Sea very 
smooth, steaming ahead slowly on account of coal, the furnaces 
being cut down to seven tons. Carried out the routine, but it 
was too hot to exercise or work much, consequently spread the 
awnings and allowed the men to rest about the deck all day. 

May 31st. — During the night we struck the southeast trades, 
but they were very light. Continued steaming until noon, when 
we set all plain sail, stopped the engines and disconnected the 
propeller. The wind being very light and well ahead, we were 
thrown off our course considerably. Carried out the routine to- 
day as nearly as possible — it being too hot to do much. Frequent 
rain squalls all night and day — one peculiarity of the region of 
doldrum, plenty of rain with no wind. 

June 1st. — Father Neptune hailed the ship during the first watch 
and informed the ship's company that he intended to visit them 
to-morrow evening. 

June 2d. — Light, baffling winds from south all day, ship making 
a very poor course in order to cross the line to any advantage. 
At 9 a. m. called all hands to general quarters. All were at their 
different duties and although it was very hot and oppressive, I 
think it was the best exercise we have had since leaving Boston 
and I can notice a vast improvement in the crew since that day. 
A large French bark passed close under our stern this morning 
bound northward. We are anxiously looking out for a Yankee 
from home. 

At 4 p. m. Old Neptune "hailed the ship" and informed "his 
friends" that he was coming on board. Of course we suspended 
order, etc., for a time in order to allow Jack to play, as is customary 
in crossing the line. 

At eight bells Old Neptune and his wife mounted the howitzer 
carriage and, followed by the necessary attendants, proceeded with 
the foolish nonsense of shaving and ducking all those who had 
never crossed the line. After going through with the crew in this 
style they came aft for the officers' "fine" for all those who had 
not crossed, and I happened to be one of the number. After 
paying Neptune his fine I sent them all below in the wardroom and 
gave each a glass of wine in lieu of whiskey. The whole affair 
passed off very pleasantly to all concerned, and although it was 
very silly, yet it was very amusing to see these old sailors enter 
into such a thing with so much spirit and good will. 



A MONKEY OVERBOARD 109 

June 3d. — Calm, with sea as smooth as possible all day, but 
exceedingly warm during the afternoon. A large steamer came 
up with us but not near enough to speak her. We exchanged 
colors and found her to be the steamer Saladin. 

June 4th (Sunday). — Read articles of war after divine service. 
At 1 p. m. we crossed the equator and are now in the South Atlantic. 

June 5th. — During the mid watch we were obliged to stop en- 
gines for about three hours to repair a breakdown. Sea smooth, 
with trade winds quite fresh. At 8 p. m. exchanged colors with a 
Danish bark. 

June 6th. — Very pleasant all day. Ship slipping along at about 
six knots. Sea quite smooth. Two sails in sight ahead of us 
standing to the south. Continued in sight until dark, when we 
lost them. 

June 7th. — At noon we hauled fires under the boilers to economize 
coal and the ship is now in every respect a sailing vessel. We have 
lost sight of the North Star and now have the great Southern 
Cross for an irregular guide by night. 

June 8th. — This morning one of the large monkeys fell over- 
board. We hove-to, lowered a boat and picked up the "cuss", 
more dead than alive; but he scarcely had been on board an hour 
with the remaining monkeys before he was as mischievous as ever. 

June 9th. — Very squally, with heavy rain all night. Last night 
when the wind was light, a French bark ran past us, but when 
the wind freshened we easily outsailed her, and at noon were 
unable to see her from the topsail yard. On account of the squally 
weather and heavj' sea we were unable to carry out the usual 
exercises. This afternoon a school of black fish were near 
the ship. Some of the sailors succeeded in harpooning one of them, 
but with the rate at which we were going the iron pushed out, 
and of course we lost the fish. 

June 10th. — Busy in setting up the main topmast rigging in 
order to secure the mast, which was in danger of being rolled out. 

June 11th (Sunday). — Exceedingly heavy squalls, with heavy 
rain all day. Unable to do anything except to reduce sail as each 
squall approached. At 11 a. m., as the ship was pitching rather 
heavily, we wore ship and stood northeast until 3 p. m., when she 
was again off to the south. We are close into the land, just north 
of Bahia, lee shore about sixty miles and are obliged to make a 
south by west course so as to clear the land, whereas the best 



110 A MOMENTOUS VOYAGE 

that we can do is three points to leeward with a good deal of lee- 
way. For the good of the Wachusett the wind should haul a 
couple of points, for we have a long passage to make, with no coal 
in the bunkers for steaming and are obliged to go on half rations 
to make the provisions hold out. We cannot go in any Brazilian 
port, because they are all closed against the Wachusett since that 
Florida affair in Bahia. 

June 12th. — At 11 a. m., the ship heading southwest, I called 
all hands to tack ship and put her about to the eastward in order 
to get farther from land and that we may have trades more to 
the eastward and then make the stretch down the coast. To-day 
we are to the south of Bahia on the hundredth day of the cruise 
and half rations ! No exercises on account of the short rations. 
Sprung the flying jibboom and was obliged to fish it. 

June 13th. — At 9 a. m. saw a sail on the lee bow standing toward 
us. We kept off a little in order to speak him. At 10 a. m. ex- 
changed colors, hove-to with the main topsail to the mast, lowered 
a cutter and sent an officer on board of him — he being hove-to 
under our lee. We sent on board in order to get some provisions, 
if possible, but he being the English bark Oberon, bound to Ghili 
and forty-nine days out from England, he was short himself, and 
consequently, our excursion was fruitless and we were obliged to 
hoist the boat in again, fill away and stand on, rather low-spirited. 
Two or three sails in sight to-day and would have asked them for 
provisions, as our men were getting hungry, but we were too far 
off to speak them. No exercises to-day, only the necessary work 
being performed. The men came to the mast in a body and com- 
plained that they had not enough to eat to do the necessary work on 
the ship and keep well. 

June 14th. — The crew having complained about their rations, 
they were placed on full rations again by order of the captain, 
and as we have only eighteen days more of provisions, we cer- 
tainly will have a hard time of it before we get to the Cape of 
Good Hope, unless we make a port on this side of the Atlantic. 

June 15th. — Our anxiety to-night is to be able to weather some 
rocks about sixty miles off the coast and about midway from 
Bahia to Gape Frio. They are very dangerous, and if the wind 
favors us we will pass them in the midwatch, otherwise we will 
be obliged to steam past them, and we are about as short of coal 
as we are of provisions. 



SEARCHING FOR PROVISIONS 111 

June 16th. — About 1 a. m. in the mid watch last night we passed 
the "Albrolhos" {%. e., keep eyes open) Rocks. Got a cast of the 
deep sea lead and found bottom at twenty-five fathoms [one hun- 
dred and fifty feet], sand and shell. Several small fishing vessels 
in sight on the shoals. To-day carried out the usual routine and 
fire quarters. At 4 p. m. we wore ship to the eastward. She did 
not make a good course to-day. 

June 17th. — Very pleasant all day. During the morning all 
hands engaged in holystoning the decks and giving the ship a 
thorough good cleaning, preparatory to entering port. Several 
sails in sight to-day on the different quarters of the horizon, all 
standing to the south and west. Exchanged colors with an Eng- 
lish bark and a Dutch ship, but did not speak either. Sailing in 
company with the Englishman all day. He could not outsail us, 
but the Dutchman did. 

June 18th (Sunday). — Sea remarkably smooth all day, weather 
beautiful. Lost the southeast trade winds and took a light breeze 
from the north. At sunset sighted land, distant about eighty-five 
miles. 

June 19th. — At daylight we were off Cape Frio with the wind 
fresh from the northeast. We ran off the entrance to Rio Janeiro 
in order to board all merchant vessels in hopes of getting some 
provisions from them. We remained off the entrance to the port 
until sunset and boarded the English ship Harmonies from Liver- 
pool, another ship from St. Helena, and the Norwegian brig Hermes 
from Italy; all bound into Rio Janeiro, but we could not procure 
anything from any of them. At sunset we hoisted and secured 
the boat, filled away and stood out to sea bound to Montevideo 
in order to fill up with coal and provisions, we not having enough 
on board to carry us to the Cape of Good Hope and scarcely enough 
to Montevideo. Only ten days' rations on board! 

June 20th. — Beautiful day, sea smooth, with little or no wind, 
as we are in the southern "variables." At 1 p. m. started ahead 
with the engines under reduced allowance of coal and took in and 
furled all sail. To-day we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, and 
consequently are now in the south temperate zone. The island of 
St. Sebastian in sight at sunset. 

June 21st. — At 8 a. m. we struck a fresh breeze from the north 
and made all plain sail. 

June 22d. — Very stormy and rainy all day, with the wind blowing 



112 A MOMENTOUS VOYAGE 

hard from the southwest. Ship under low steam, steaming head 
to it but making no headway until 2 p. m., when we stopped the 
engines and banked the fires in order to save coal, we now having 
only one day's coal on board and eight hundred miles from port dead 
to windward ! To-night very dark and stormy, with a heavy sea. 
Ship behaving very well under the circumstances. 

June 23d. — Wind blowing very strong all day from the south, 
but with no rain. Ship still under reefed topsails and courses, 
but making very little headway toward her port. At 9 a. m. 
wore ship to the east and passed a brig standing westward. 

June 24th. — Very pleasant all day, with little or no wind and 
consequently we made very little on our way. A very heavy 
swell set in from southwest. A great number of Cape pigeons 
around the ship and swimming alongside while it is calm. 

June 25th (Sunday). — Very stormy all day, with the wind strong 
from the northeast with much rain, consequently bad weather. 
Busy in making and taking in sail as the squalls came up and 
passed over us. At sunset the wind suddenly shifted to the north 
and westward, with indications of it still hauling ahead and pros- 
pects of a very bad night. 

June 26th. — Last night was the most miserable one that I have 
ever experienced at sea. At 11 p. m. a pampero struck us from 
the southwest in all its force. We close-reefed the topsails and 
took in the courses. The wind and sea increasing. At 3.30 a. m. 
called all hands to reduce sail. With hard work took in and furled 
the topsails and hove her to on the starboard tack under fore storm 
staysail, close-reefed main topsail and storm mizzen. The foresail 
and fore topmast staysail blew into ribbons before we could furl 
them. Ship rolling very heavily, taking in sea fore and aft. 
Obliged to batten down all the hatches. 

She rolled so heavily that she endangered all the boats, filling 
them with water at almost each roll. The ship hove-to until 
noon, and as the wind and sea seemed increasing our captain came 
to the conclusion that it would be impossible to reach and dan- 
gerous to attempt getting to Montevideo before our provisions 
gave out, we having only five days' rations of meat (nothing else) 
and one day's coal on board, and had over six hundred and fifty miles 
to go — with a dead-a-head wind. 

So he gave the order to get up steam, put her before the wind 
and run for St. Catherine, Brazil, distance about one hundred and 



COMPELLED TO MAKE PORT 113 

sixty-five miles, our nearest port. At 1 p. m. we started ahead 
with the engines, heading north and logging thirteen knots. Wind 
blowing a gale, sea very high and ship rolling very deep and taking 
in a great amount of water. 

During the day the sea stove in the starboard rail for about 
fifty feet in gangway. Kept running until about midnight, when 
we thought we were near the land and it being dangerous to run 
head on any longer, not knowing our position correctly, we 
stopped the engines and hove her to on port tack under fore storm 
staysail, close-reefed main topsail and the storm mizzen — waiting 
for daylight. Wind and sea moderating as the barometer rose. 
Ship behaving very well under the circumstances and I am very 
agreeably surprised in regard to her actions. 

June 27th. — Ship hove-to until 9.30 a. m., when we started 
ahead with the engines and made all plain sail, fore and aft, heading 
to the west. At noon, when we found our position accurately, we 
discovered that we were seventy-five miles to the southeast of the 
Island of St. Catherine. Bore up to the north-northwest and 
made all sail. Busy all day in clearing up a little after the gale 
of yesterday, taking battens and gratings off the hatches, extra 
fastenings off the boats and guns, and clearing up generally. 

At sunset we made the Island of St. Catherine and the coast of 
Brazil, but it being so far off and so dark at 6 p. m. we found it 
impossible to get in to-night, so we took in and furled all square 
sail, brought by the wind under fore and aft sail, stopped the 
engines, banked the fires and will be off and on until daylight and 
try it again. 

June 28th. — St. Catherine, Brazil. At daylight this morning we 
were about fifteen miles from the northeast point of St. Catherine, 
with wind light from the southwest. Made all sail and stood in 
for the northern entrance to the anchorage. At 1 p. m. came to 
anchor in St. Catherine's roads and was boarded by a couple of 
Brazilian officers with the usual compliments, etc. Shortly after- 
ward we were visited by the captain of the port, who informed uss 
that a Brazilian transport with four hundred soldiers on board 
had been wrecked about forty miles to the north and requested 
that the Wachusett would go to their relief; but as we have only 
three ions of coal and no provisions on board it is impossible to go 
before we are supplied. 

Got the boat ready to leave the ship so as to go up to the City 



114 A MOMENTOUS VOYAGE 

of Our Lady of Solitude (which is the capital of the island and 
province), in order to communicate with the governor and get the 
U. S. Consul to send off the necessary supplies for a day or so. 

June 29th. — Last night at sunset I left the ship in the gig for 
the city, a distance of fourteen miles, and after a long, tedious 
pull of over three hours, we reached it at 8.45 p. m. I immediately 
set out to find our consul. With little trouble I found the residence 
of the consul, Mr. Benjamin Lindsay, of Massachusetts, and soon 
informed him of my errand and wanted his assistance to get the 
provisions, etc., off to the ship before morning. After talking 
over the news, etc., I went with him to the governor's to ascertain 
if the orders in regard to the Wachusett and Brazilian ports had 
been revoked yet. 

{Philip's Journal Continued in Chapter XII.) 

We get further interesting details of this singular and 
really very serious complication in which the Wachusett 
found herself, as the result of her attack on the Florida, 
from Chief Engineer Edward Biddle Latch, U. S. N., who 
says: "The Wachusett had instructions from our Govern- 
ment not to touch at any Brazilian port, because of the 
incident at Bahia. Being short of provisions, however, 
in fact reduced to a day's rations on account of the 
spoiling of the supply laid in at the Cape de Verdes, and 
also being short of coal, while a fierce pampero and tre- 
mendous seas were rushing northward (while we were 
struggling to get south) our commanding officer was 
compelled to make the port of St. Catherine. 

"Upon arriving there several Brazilian men of war 
were seen lying at anchor in the harbor. As is custom- 
ary, an officer was sent to inquire the name of the in- 
coming vessel and to offer the usual courtesies; but, as 
soon as he heard the name Wachusett, he left very ab- 
ruptly and hastened down the gangway to his boat and 
hurriedly put back to his own ship. In due time, how- 
ever, the situation was explained and permission was 



THE " WACHUSETT" RESTORED TO GRACE 115 

graciously accorded for one of our boats to proceed up 
to the town and secure some provisions. 

"The great storm had driven a Brazilian man of war 
ashore some distance above St. Catherine. Our com- 
manding officer assured the Brazilians that he would be 
happy to lend his aid as soon as sufficient coal and pro- 
visions could be got aboard the Wachusett. When this 
had been accomplished the assistance they already had 
sent had succeeded in getting the stranded craft afloat. 
Our minister at Rio Janeiro, Gen. Webb, brought the 
case of the Wachusett before Emperor Dom Pedro II., 
who finally cut the Gordian knot by giving permission 
for the Wachusett to visit Rio, free from all liability to 
arrest, annoyance or inconvenience." 



CHAPTER XI 

A TRIBUTE FROM HIS EXECUTIVE 

Ex-Secretary John Davis Long 

I DID not have the pleasure of Rear- Admiral Philip's 
acquaintance until I became Secretary of the Navy, 
March, 1897. At that time he was of the rank of 
captain and was one of the first to whom my attention 
was attracted. At that time too he had an excellent 
record ; having graduated from the Naval Academy at the 
beginning of the Civil War, in which he immediately 
participated, serving in the Gulf and in the South At- 
lantic squadrons, receiving wounds, and giving, even at 
that early day, a promise of the loyalty and efficiency 
which were his distinguishing characteristics during his 
whole career. 

In the long interval of peace which followed he served 
in the Asiatic and European squadrons; was for a time 
on leave and in command of one of the steamers of the 
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, commanded the Wood- 
ruff Scientific Expedition around the world, did duty in 
connection with the Lighthouse Department, and, in the 
varied duties which attach to a naval officer afloat and 
ashore ; and his name was a synonym for fidelity , recti- 
tude and professional ability. 

When the Spanish- American war broke out he was in 
command of the Texas, attached to the North Atlantic 
squadron. In this capacity he served under Rear-Ad- 
miral Sampson in the famous and now historical cam- 



AN IDEAL SAILOR 117 

paign in the West Indies. During the blockade of the 
Spanish fleet in the harbor of Santiago, when the most 
exacting vigilance was required of every commanding 
officer, he met every requirement. 

On the glorious day of the battle, when the Spanish 
fleet came out in its attempt to escape and when our 
vessels closed in in obedience to the standing order of 
the commander-in-chief, no ship did better duty and no 
officer in that list of heroes was more distinguished than 
Captain Philip. He went straight to his duty, struck 
the enemy with all his force, and fought the good fight 
until they surrendered. Then it was that, with bared 
head, amid the carnage of battle and under the spell of 
victory, he yet remembered to thank God for it and, full 
of tender passion for the defeated foe, uttered those 
memorable words which will last as long as the story of 
the American navy: "Don't cheer, men; the poor 
devils are dying!" 

It was the utterance of a humane heart. It showed 
that the man was greater than the captain. It is one of 
those phrases which, like Lawrence's " Don't give up the 
ship," is forever engraved on the memory of the Amer- 
ican people. - 

This famous utterance also suggests what is everywhere 
recognized as distinctive of Admiral Philip. He was a 
Christian man, not in the cant meaning of the word, but 
as actuated and guided by the principles which the 
Master taught as the basis of true living — a sense of ob- 
ligation to God and to fellow-man. He was interested 
in good works. His sincere and earnest desire to elevate 
the moral condition of the enlisted men of the navy won 
their confidence and also that of the community in their 
behalf. Miss Gould, whose charities have made her 
name one of the best beloved among women, recognized 



118 A TRIBUTE FROM HIS EXECUTIVE 

these qualities in him and co-operated with him by a 
munificent contribution of money, amounting to hun- 
dreds of thousands of dollars, toward establishing near 
the gate of the New York Navy Yard a refuge home 
for United States seamen. Indeed, everybody associated 
him with good works. 

After the war he was placed in command of the New 
York Navy Yard, a position the responsibilities of which 
are great. Few men, even in the great private establish- 
ments of business enterprise, have so much upon their 
shoulders. Two or three thousand men are employed 
there. Various naval departments, represented by naval 
officers, are under his direction. Two or three millions 
of dollars each year are spent in the repair of vessels, for 
labor alone, and a corresponding amount for material. 
Under all these responsibilities he was still the simple, 
loyal, true-hearted, efficient man, unspoiled by the great 
naval distinction which he shared with the other Santiago 
heroes — devoted to his duty and to his friends. 

I was inexpressibly shocked when I heard of his 
death, and when we laid him away at Annapolis, in the 
beautiful cemetery overlooking the blue waters of the 
historic Chesapeake, near the Academic grounds where 
he was trained for naval service, I felt that I had never 
discharged, as Secretary of the Navy, any duty more 
appropriate than that of paying my tribute of respect at 
the burial of one of its most deserving officers. 




Midshipman Woodward Philip, son <>f Bear- Admiral Philip. 



CHAPTER XII 

AT RIO DE JANEIRO 

IN Chapter X we left the Wachusett in the port of 
St. Catherine, off the coast of Brazil, in the extra- 
ordinary condition of being a regularly commis- 
sioned United States warship with her supply of coal and 
provisions exhausted, with her crew in a mutinous frame 
of mind (having just survived a terrific series of gales 
on very short rations) and yet afraid to enter the port 
of a nation with which our Government was at peace. 
Seldom has a dignified man of war of any nation been 
placed in such an embarrassing and amusing (had it not 
been so serious) predicament as that in which the wicked 
Wachusett found herself at this critical period of her 
cruise — and all the result of her own pranks in the harbor 
of Bahia less than a year before. 

Philip continues the narration of his efforts to hasten 
provisions to his starving shipmates (and coal for the 
equally hungry engine furnaces) and then goes on with 
his story of his stay and experiences at Rio de Janeiro. 

philip's journal of a cruise 

(Continued from page 114.) 

St. Catherine, June 20th. — I was in the gig all night trying to 
get the lazy Brazilians to carry some coal and provisions down 
to the ship. At daylight gave that business up and went up to 
the Consul's again for his assistance to get the lazy good for noth- 
ing natives to work. After a great amount of trouble we hired a 



120 AT RIO DE JANEIRO 

boat and loaded her with flour and beef and started her for the 
ship. 

The coal was to be furnished by the Government to carry us 
down and back to this anchorage. At 10 a. m. I left the city for 
the ship and at 3 p. m. got back again, about tired out. At sunset, 
as the boat with the provisions had not yet arrived, we sent a 
cutter with two officers up to the city in search of food, with orders 
not to lose sight of the Brazilian boat until she was alongside of us. 

Although the city appears to be a very nice place of about fif- 
teen thousand inhabitants, I never was so disgusted with a place 
and its people as I am with this. I will not visit it again except 
in case of necessary official duty. The people are the most lazy, 
indolent, ignorant set of mortals that I have ever met. It is im- 
possible to get provisions here for a long cruise, consequently we 
are obliged to go back to Rio de Janeiro for supplies. The Bra- 
zilian sloop of war Americus is in port at anchor near us. 

June 30th. — St. Catherine. Received some provisions from 
the city during the midwatch last night. To-day busy in painting 
the ship outside and aloft and blacking down the rigging, prepara- 
tory to going to Rio. 

Some of the officers visited the main land to-day at the little 
village of Santa Cruz and found it the same as all towns which they 
had recently visited. The principal object of interest was the 
church. As the Brazilian steamer left the harbor last night for 
the scene of the transport wreck we will not go. 

The Governor sent a request up that the Wachusett would come 
up to the city in order that he and his friends might see her and 
entertain our officers, but I think the water will not allow us to go 
up, there being only fourteen feet on the bar. 
h July 1st. — St. Catherine. At daylight this morning a Brazilian 
brig loaded with coal from Rio de Janeiro came in and an- 
chored. As we had permission from the Governor to coal from 
her we got all ready and sent a boat on board to bring her along- 
side; but by the laziness of the natives they could not get ready 
to discharge before Monday next, hence we are delayed that much 
longer. 

Several of the officers visited the main land to-day. I went on 
the beach with a rifle in the morning. The transport that was 
wrecked to the north came in and went up to the city in a dam- 
aged condition. 



DANGEROUS WEATHER 121 

July 2d (Sunday). — Blowing very fresh during the morning, so 
that at 9 -a. m. we let go the starboard anchor. Allowed some of 
the petty officers to take a cutter and go on the main land to get 
some oranges, etc. 

July 3d. — This morning we hauled the Brazilian brig alongside 
after many protestations from her captain for fear of chafing, 
damages, etc., and took out of her fifty tons of coal, enough to 
carry us to Rio de Janeiro. Calm and pleasant all day. 

During the blow yesterday the Brazilian sloop of war dragged 
her anchor nearly in to the beach. 

July 4th (At sea). — At 8 a. m. we dressed the ship with flags in 
honor of the Glorious Fourth, the pride of all Americans, but we 
did not fire a salute of thirty-four or one hundred guns on account 
of getting under way, as we should have done if we had remained 
in port during the day. 

At 11.30 a. m. got up steam and called all hands up anchor, got 
under way and steamed out of St. Catherine's roads, heading north- 
east, bound to Rio de Janeiro for supplies, etc. Very dark, threat- 
ening weather all day, the barometer standing very low. 

July 5th. — Dark, cloudy and rainy all day, the wind quite fresh 
but gradually hauling from north to southwest and southeast and 
finally by sunset it came out ahead, with prospects of giving us a 
bad night of it. 

July 6th. — Very thick, dirty and stormy all day. Impossible 
to see more than a mile or so from the ship. Ship standing in 
for the entrance to Rio harbor until 5 p. m., when we thought we 
were about twenty miles off the land and found it almost impossible 
to get in to-night. We headed eastward, stopped the engines and 
banked the fires, getting a cast of the lead every two hours in order 
to judge our approach to the coast. 

It being very thick when we left St. Catherine and continuing 
so ever since, we were unable to get an observation and conse- 
quently are obliged to depend entirely on dead reckoning for our 
position, which is uncertain. To-night will be another bad night at 
sea. 

July 7th. — Last night about 11 p. m. we made the light on 
Raza Island, off the entrance to Rio. It being too thick and 
dirty to run inside, we lay off and on under close reefed topsails 
until daylight. At daylight we took in and furled all sails and 
stood in for the entrance under a low head of steam, feeling our 



122 AT RIO DE JANEIRO 

way by the lead. At 8 a. m. we made Raza Island and stood in 
for the harbor. At 10 a. m. we came to anchor in the harbor of 
Rio de Janeiro, astern of the English and French ships of war and 
near the town. 

As soon as we had anchored we were visited by the health of- 
ficers and an officer from each of the men of war in the harbor, 
with the usual compliments. Sent on shore immediately in search 
of provisions, news, etc. 

At 3 p. m. got under way and steamed across Rio bay to the 
coal island for some coal. Made fast and hauled alongside of 
the wharf of the coal shed and began coaling ship. We were 
coaled by Portuguese men carrying the coal in baskets on their 
heads. 

July 8th. — Finished coaling at sunset, when we hauled out from 
coal wharf and returned to the anchorage. In the evening I went 
on shore with the captain to make an official call upon our Minister, 
General J. W. Webb, of Claverack, N. Y., and spent a very pleas- 
ant evening with the General and his wife. The French and Por- 
tuguese Ministers also were there for a short time. 

July 9th (Sunday). — I went on shore in the morning to see the 
place, made several purchases and enjoyed myself and returned 
to the ship. In the evening I went with the Captain and dined 
with our Minister. There were present our Consul, Mr. Monroe 
from Ohio, the English Consul, Mr. Hunt, and the Portuguese and 
French attaches. Spent a very agreeable evening. 

July 10th. — This seems more like a summer's day. The Em- 
peror of Brazil, Dom Pedro II, left Rio for the seat of war. The 
Emperor expected to leave at 10 a. m. and consequently all the 
houses,balconies, hills and wharfs about the city and all shipping 
in the bay, were crowded with people to witness his departure. 
All the men of war dressed ship with flags and manned the yards 
as the Emperor's steamer passed, the Wachusett of course following 
suit, but with the addition of giving the Emperor three hearty 
cheers. [The Wachusett had good reasons for being especially 
grateful to the Emperor. — E. S. M.] I went on shore in the after- 
noon and took a ride all about the city, and then drove out and 
around the grounds of the Emperor's Palace. 

July 11th. — Busy all day on board ship in scraping spars and 
painting ship and getting things in order generally. In the even- 
ing I went on shore and while there I met Professor Agassiz of 



OFFICIAL CALLS 123 

Harvard University, Massachusetts. He is traveling over Brazil 
on a scientific expedition. 

July 12th. — The Unite4=|?tates Consul, Mr. Monroe, and a Yankee 
gentleman, came on board this morning to see the ship and call 
upon the officers. 

July 13th. — At 8 a. m. dressed the ship with flags in honor of 
some Brazilian Princess' birthday. Went on shore to-day, drove 
to the botanical garden, distance about eight miles outside 
of Rio. 

July 14th. — To-day the Portuguese Admiral and three Brazilian 
officers visited the ship to see her. One of the Brazilian lieuten- 
ants had been with the Prince de Joinville with the old Army of 
the Potomac and was through the seven days' fight under General 
McClellan. 

July 15th. — At noon our Captain left the ship to go to the City 
of Petropolis on a visit of a couple of days upon our Minister. He 
was accompanied by our Consul and Mr. Pegram. 

July 16th (Sunday). — In the evening I went on shore and at- 
tended vespers in the Cathedral and afterward went to the opera. 

July 17th. — Received an official visit from an English officer on 
board the English warship Satellite, also one from a Brazilian, 
informing us that to-morrow was another holiday in honor of the 
coronation of the present Emperor. 

July 18th. — At 8 a.m. all the foreign men of war, including the 
Wachusett, dressed ship in honor of the coronation of the Em- 
peror of Brazil and at 1 p. m. all the Brazilian and Portuguese 
warships fired a national salute of twenty-one guns. 

July 19th. — Received a visit from several English lieutenants 
of the Satellite. At 3 p. m. the French mail steamer from France 
came in, having as passengers the Emperor's daughter and her 
husband. She is heir to the throne of Brazil. As the steamer 
came up with her distinguished passengers all the men of war 
dressed ship with flags and the Brazilian, French and Portuguese 
fired a national salute; the Count and Countess have just re- 
turned from their wedding tour in Portugal. 

July 20th. — I went ashore this evening dressed in white duck 
and was overtaken by a furious rain storm, with the result that I 
got soaking wet before I could regain the ship. 

July 21st. — Very rainy and dirty all day, so that it was very un- 
comfortable on board the ship. To-day dressed ship by request 



124 AT RIO DE JANEIRO 

of the Portuguese Admiral in honor of the birthday of the Queen 
of Portugal. 

July 22d. — At 7 p. m. a marriage took place on board the Wa- 
chusett, the Captain officiating. The more interested parties were 
the second mate and stewardess of the steamer Rapidan. Al- 
though it was not a "diamond wedding," or a marriage in high 
life, yet the bride and groom seemed very happy after the knot 
had been tied, and returned to their ship in excellent spirits and 
hopes for the future. 

July 23d (Sunday). — All of the men of war dressed ship to-day, 
in honor of the birth of some Brazilian Princess, the Brazilians 
firing a salute. There seems to be no end of Brazilian royalty in 
these parts. 

One of our marines was murdered on shore last night by a cow- 
ardly Brazilian secessionist. 

I dined on board of the English warship Satellite and had a 
splendid time there this evening. 

July 24th. — At 8 a. m. the Satellite got under way and stood out 
to sea, bound to England, she having been out on this station 
three and a half years. At 2 p. m. the body of Private Lee, who 
was murdered on shore, was brought on board. I called all hands 
to "bury the dead," and our commander read the burial service 
to the officers and men. Afterward took the body on shore and 
buried it in the Protestant burying grounds across the bay. 

The French Admiral and three commanding officers visited our 
ship to-day and seemed very much pleased. 

July 25th. — I allowed thirty-two of our men to go on shore 
to-day on twenty-four hours liberty. Thirty were sent ashore 
yesterday with the same privilege. 

July 26th-28th. — These days were mostly taken up with super- 
intending a gang of carpenters who were building an extension to 
the poop deck and making some other alterations about the ship. 
As there was little of the regular work to be done I allowed our 
men as much liberty as possible, sending them ashore in lots of 
twenty and thirty at a time. As for myself I was compelled to 
remain aboard most of the time, spending only a part of the even- 
ing of July 28th ashore. 

July 29th. — At daylight all the men of war dressed ship with 
flags and fired a national salute in honor of the birthday of the 
Princess Imperial. 



AT PETROFOLIS 125 

At 1 p. m. Paymaster Sears and I left the ship to spend a few 
days in Petropolis. We went by steamer to Paimha, thence by 
sail to the foot of the Orange Mountains and then with carriage to 
the city, which is situated three thousand feet above the level of 
the sea. In ascending this three thousand feet of elevation you 
are obliged to make ninety-seven zigzags and go over twelve miles 
of road — the most beautiful one in the world. 

After arriving at the top it seems as if you might throw a stone 
down in the depot below, though you had gone over twelve miles 
to reach that point. The scenery was the most magnificent that 
I have ever seen. We arrived at Petropolis at 6 p. m. and dined 
with our Minister, General Webb, and family. 

July 30th (Sunday). — Petropolis. After getting our breakfast 
at the McDowall House, we started out on a ramble through the 
mountains to a celebrated cascade, distant six miles. We had a 
very pleasant walk along a winding path through the forests of the 
mountains and finally reached the falls, which are formed by small 
mountain streams leaping over a precipice into a valley below. I 
should judge that they are double the height of the falls near the 
"Mountain House" at home. After returning we strolled all 
about the City of Petropolis and through the Palace grounds of 
the Emperor, which by the way, cannot compare in any respect 
with our own modest White House. 

July 31st. — At 6.30 this morning we left Petropolis to return to 
the Wachusett. On arriving at the top of the mountain we saw 
the most magnificent sight in nature. The whole valley below 
was filled with clouds, and with the bright rising sun it appeared 
like one frozen field of ice or a terrific hurricane at sea. 

After a pleasant trip of about five hours we got back to the ship 
again, much pleased with our short visit. 

To-day the ship was doubly dressed, also all the men of war, in 
honor of the coronation of the Empress of Brazil and the birthday 
of the Queen of Portugal. All the foreigners fired national salutes. 
In the afternoon I went on shore with our Captain and visited the 
Brazilian Navy Yard, inspecting their ironclads under construction, 
and then walked about the city. 

Aug. 1st. — In the morning all the vessels dressed ship again, 
this time because the Emperor's new son-in-law left the harbor 
bound to Rio Grande. 

Aug. 2d. — All the men of war dressed ship and fired salutes 



126 AT RIO DE JANEIRO 

again to-day in honor of the birthday of another Brazilian Princess. 
Is there any end to these Brazilian nobles? 

Aug. 3d. — As it was very disagreeable to-day very little routine 
work was done and toward evening I allowed two of our crews to 
man two cutters and pull a race in the harbor for their own satis- 
faction. 

Aug. 4th and 5th. — Busy about the decks with carpenters re- 
pairing the poop and bridge. 

Aug. 6th (Sunday). — Last night the U. S. gunboat Mohongo, a 
double ender, came in and anchored. She is from New York, 
bound to the Pacific under the command of Commander Nicholson. 

Aug. 7th. — In the afternoon Commodore Crawford of the Eng- 
lish battleship Egmont visited our ship and seemed well pleased 
with our arrangements on board. At ten o'clock at night a squall 
struck our ship, so that she dragged her anchor about a mile before 
we could bring her up. Fortunately there was no damage. 

Aug. 8th. — At daylight we got up steam in one boiler in order to 
move back to our anchorage. Busy all the morning in heaving up 
anchors, cleaning chains and getting back to our anchorage. 

Three of our men deserted last night; glad to lose the scoundrels. 

Aug. 9th. — After quarters I went on shore with a party, pro- 
cured some horses and went up to the top of Corcorada, from 
which place they say you have the finest view of any place in the 
world. 

Chief Engineer Latch gives some details of this "ride" 
which are not set down in Philip's diary. He says: 
"During our stay at Rio, Philip and Pegram proposed 
a horseback ride to the top of Corcorada, a near by moun- 
tain peak and asked me to join them. I did so, and 
soon we were tearing at full speed up one of the principal 
thoroughfares, much to the astonishment of the natives, 
who hastened to doors and windows in blank amaze- 
ment at such unwonted clattering of hoofs. Unfortun- 
ately I had no whip, but Pegram had one plenty long 
enough to reach my horse, while Philip had another 
equally extended. 

" It was not long before a peculiar swish was heard, 



A HORSEBACK PARTY 127 

followed by a subdued thud, reminding one of our 
staccato notes in the lower register — when the singer 
really has a cold. These sounds, which seemed to de- 
velop behind the saddle upon which I sat, had an effect 
upon my beast which, curiously enough, brought out the 
finer points of his activity; causing him to bound for- 
ward as though he enjoyed it. For this I was correspond- 
ingly grateful. 

"Thus we sped on, Philip leading, chatting, laughing 
lightly, and with sparkling eyes enjoyed in their fullness 
the checkered sunbeams as they fell. Then with almost 
boyish happiness he drank in the soothing coldness of the 
mountain air, the vagaries of the distant sea, the forest 
near at hand, the sky above, the midway cloud, the 
verdant dales that covered the lines of beauty here and 
there, and valley far below. Truly, it was a most joy- 
ous ride; truly it was one in which the purity of the 
inner man lifted its portals to greet the birthright purity 
of the great without." 

Aug. 10th. — The English sloop of war Sharpshooter came in and 
anchored. There are strong appearances of a storm gathering. 

Aug. 11th. — Rainy and stormy all day. Several English of- 
ficers came on board and visited us to-day, and in the evening I 
went on board the Mohongo and while there three of their men 
stole my boat and ran off with it. Two of our men ran away this 
morning. 

Aug. 12th. — Busy to-day getting ship ready for inspection to- 
morrow. 

Aug. 13th (Sunday). — In the evening I went on shore with the 
Captain and spent the evening with Mr. Ellison and friends. 
Pleasant time. 

Aug. 14th. — We informed the Brazilian authorities this morning 
that by the new regulations the Wachusett is obliged to salute and 
consequently commenced and fired a salute of twenty-one guns 
at 1 p. m., with the Brazilian ensign at the fore. In the afternoon 
an English Admiral visited the ship, but owing to the present feel- 



128 AT RIO DE JANEIRO 

ing between the two countries we did not give him the usual salute 
of thirteen guns. To-day held a summary court martial on board 
to try an ordinary seaman for getting drunk, etc., on duty. I was 
senior member of the Court. Sentenced him to be confined in 
double irons on bread and water for thirty days. 

Aug. 15th. — At 8 a. m. all the men of war dressed ship with 
flags and fired national salutes of twenty-one guns in honor of the 
birthday of the French Emperor, Napoleon I, and on shore it was 
a holiday in honor of some saint. It was one of the greatest days 
in Brazil. I went on shore in the evening and went to the Cathe- 
dral, where a fine band was playing lively and fancy tunes inside, the 
people on their knees counting their beads before some image, and 
splendid fireworks outside the church. The streets of Rio were 
full of people of all classes and we enjoyed ourselves. 

I attempted to enter a Masonic lodge, but had no certificate and 
could not get in without some trouble. 

The Mohongo came alongside in the morning and put on board 
of us all of her powder and shell in order to go into dry dock. 

Aug. 16th. — The French mail steamer came in to-day, reporting 
that two United States frigates were at anchor in Bahia. We are 
waiting for their arrival here in order to get some salt provisions 
from them. I went out to Corcorada again to-day on horseback 
and came back in a rain storm, but had a very pleasant time. 

Aug. 17th-20th. — Nothing occurred on these days excepting 
that on the night of the 17th two of our men attempted to desert, 
but on being fired on they returned and were placed in irons. 

Aug. 21st. — At 5 p. m. the U. S. S. Susquehanna, with the flag 
of Rear-Admiral Godon, came in and anchored very near us. We 
saluted his flag with thirteen guns, which were returned. I spent 
the evening on board of her and had a very pleasant time. Since 
she has at last arrived we are in hopes of getting our salt provisions 
and continuing our voyage. 

Aug. 22d. — General Webb and his wife, Admiral Godon and 
staff, and the Brazilian Commodore, came on board to-day. Sal- 
uted each with their respective number of guns. 

Aug. 23d. — The different foreign admirals visited the Susque- 
hanna. 

Aug. 24th. — The Brazilian Commodore visited and inspected 
the ship and seemed very anxious to examine our rifles, both large 
and small, and desired to take a couple of boat rifles on board his 



INTERMINABLE SALUTES 129 

flagship. We sent the Mohongo the powder and shell on board 
her to-day. 

Aug. 25th. — We received stores in the paymaster's department 
to-day, but not enough to carry us to the Cape of Good Hope; 
hence more delay, much to our disgust. The carpenters have at 
last finished their work on board. 

Aug. 26th. — To-day being the birthday of Pegram and myself 
we dined on board the Susquehanna with our old schoolmates and 
classmates. In the evening several of the officers attended a large 
ball given by a club in Rio. 

Aug. 27th. — In the evening I attended the opera in the Lyric 
Theater — had a dry time. 

Aug. 28th. — No exercises to-day. Transferred the greatest 
rascal in the navy to the Mohongo, by request of her captain. 

Aug. 29th. — At 8 a. m. the Mohongo steamed out of the harbor, 
bound round the Horn for the Pacific. We loosed sail with the 
flagship Susquehanna to-day and had the satisfaction of beating 
her. At 10 a. m. the Brazilian flagship half masted her colors and 
fired half hour guns all day for the death of Viscount de Capo Frio, 
who was an admiral in their navy and had been killed in battle in 
Paraguay. 

Aug. 30th. — At 8 a. m. we got up steam and ran back to our old 
anchorage. Now since she is moved at this late day there is no 
telling when we will get out of Rio. 

Aug. 31st. — This evening I attended an opera, which was the 
greatest farce I have ever seen in Rio. 

Sept. 1st. — There was great rejoicing to-day on shore. The 
Brazilians have heard of some victory in the south, which is the 
seat of war, it being the first success of any kind they have had 
since the war began. 

Sept. 2d-3d. — Little of note these days. 

Sept. 4th. — At 8 a. m. all the ships in the harbor dressed ship 
with flags in honor of the anniversary of the wedding of the Em- 
peror of the Brazils and at meridian the Brazilians fired national 
salutes both from their ships and forts. 

Sept. 5th. — Busy in overhauling the guns, shell rooms, etc. 
Loosed and furled sail with the flagship. 

Sept. 6th. — At 1 p. m. Admiral Godon, his chief of staff, Major 
and Mrs. Ellison, and the Brazilian commodore and aide visited us 
to-day. 



130 AT RIO DE JANEIRO 

In the evening I went ashore and visited the Masonic lodge. 
One American was initiated. 

Sept. 7th. — At daylight dressed ship in honor of the independ- 
ence day of the Brazils and also in honor of the birth of some Por- 
tuguese prince. Yesterday we dressed ship in honor of the birth 
of another Portuguese prince ! 

The United States gunboat Nipsic, Lieutenant Commander 
Henry, came in to-day and anchored. Great amount of fireworks 
burnt ashore to-night. 

Sept. 8th. — Dressed ship again to-day in honor of another Por- 
tuguese prince! 

Sept. 9th-12th. — Very little worthy of note occurred on these 
days. On the 9th the Austrian Minister visited the different ships 
with the usual ceremonies and salutes. On the evening of the 10th 
I dined aboard the Brazilian transport San Romain. 

Sept. 13th. — This morning I turned one of the boys out of the 
ship and put him on the beach, as being too dirty and worthless 
to remain in the navj\ 

Sept. 14th. — Arrested one of the deserters on shore to-day and 
locked him up on " low diet " for the rest of our stay in port. 

A new Brazilian ironclad went on her trial trip this morning. 
She was a very good success for this class of vessels, but no match 
for one of our little monitors. 

Sept. 15th- 18th. — Little of interest on these days. 

Sept. 19th. — At last all the requisite stores and provisions have 
been received and we are nearly read}'' for sea, after a tedious stay 
of nearly three months in Rio. Busy all day overhauling the 
chain cables and lockers and making minor preparations for going 
to sea, settling up the ship's bills, etc. 

At 4 p. m. the U. S. gunboat Nyack, Lieutenant Commander 
Newman, came in and anchored, bound to the Pacific. I went on 
shore for the last time to-night. 

(Philip's Journal continued in Chapter XIV.) 



CHAPTER XIII 

UNDER HIS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

William Thomas Sampson 

THOSE who were with Jack Philip in the old acad- 
emy days, when we were all youngsters together,, 
must have a vivid remembrance of his ringing 
laugh, in the old mess hall. How we all admired in those 
days the promptness and precision of our meals! At 
first came the enforced silence, when drawn up in parade 
we heard the adjutant read out in stentorian tones the 
long list of demerits. 

But the moment we entered the mess hall we might 
talk as we marched to our places. After that it needed 
no compulsion to secure quiet. Only the clink of knives 
and forks broke the silence, until when our army of young 
cormorants had satisfied their first eager hunger came 
the moment when Colonel Swann, with a majestic wave 
of his right arm, would summon in the white-aproned 
band of colored servants, who bore aloft the famous pies 
of so generous a supply, in those days, that each middy 
might give, without missing it, half his share to his near- 
est friend, hungrier, or growing faster maybe, than him- 
self. 

Just during the interval of waiting before the dessert 
came in, was the moment when Jack's contagious laugh 
would ring out in response to some witticism of a friend. 
Like wildfire it would spread through that large hall, 
for the merriment of that laugh was irresistible; and 



132 UNDER HIS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

though in after years the voice was sobered, there always 
remained a merry twinkle of the eye which was charac- 
teristic of the happy soul within. 

Not at all inconsistent with this quality, though quite 
different, is another which marked him all his latter 
days — a clearly denned and frankly avowed faith in God 
and a future life, and an acknowledgment in all he did 
of his duty toward his Maker. Many a time he gave a 
reminder to others less careful. 

And all of it — his faith and his idea of duty, his duty 
and yours; and his acknowledgment of allegiance and 
gratitude to the Higher Power — was expressed in such a 
matter-of-fact way, quite free from cant, that it bore 
great weight with all who came in contact with him. 

I remember in the early days of the famous blockade 
off Santiago, in June, 1898, while we were waiting for 
Cervera to make his attempt to escape or to fight his 
way through our little squadron, the captains had assem- 
bled on board the New York one morning to discuss the 
practicability of bombarding the harbor of Santiago. 
The commanding officers had given their opinions, and 
after some discussion it was decided to make the attack 
the next morning, June 5th. 

The conference was over and the members were about 
to depart when Captain Philip asked if we knew we were 
planning to do this noisy thing on Sunday morning. All 
but he had lost track of the days of the week in the 
monotonous worry of the times. But we were glad to 
be reminded, and the attack was, of course, postponed 
till Monday morning early. 

A month later Cervera made his famous sally, and it 
fell on Sunday, but the beginning of it was none of our 
doing. Somebody else forgot what day it was, not we. 
And nobody recognized better than Captain Philip the 



A LOVABLE MAN 133 

Sunday work to be done when it came, nor did a la:. 
share of it. 

His after-avowal that the work was God's own and 
his public acknowledgment of gratitude to Heaven for 
the day's victory was just like him. and we blessed him 
for putting into words what no one else, however much 
he might have felt it. would have had the grace to say. 

So, whether we knew him as youth or man. as grave 
or gay. as energetic, brave, or incomparably just, we 
knew him as above all. a lovable man and a Christian. 



CHAPTER XIV 

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 

philip's journal of a cruise 
(Continued from Chapter XII) 

Sept. 20th. — Busy making preparations for going to sea after a 
tedious delay in Rio de Janeiro of seventy-five days. At 2 p. m. 
got up steam and unmoored ship. At 4 p. m. got under way and 
stood out of the harbor for sea. Loaded the guns, secured them 
and made snug for a long passage, the ship being quite uneasy 
after her long idleness. The sea was quite smooth, but we have 
all the indications of coming bad weather. Several of the officers 
seasick, but all are glad that we are again " on the move." 

Sept. 21st. — Wind light, sea smooth and the ship going along 
finely under sail and steam. At sunset we headed south, so as to 
get the westerly winds. 

Sept. 22d. — At 8 a. m. a light breeze "struck up" from the east, 
the wind gradually increasing and hauling round to the north 
until 1 p. m., when we stopped the engines, banked fires and dis- 
connected the propeller. As it was blowing very hard at sunset 
we took in all the lighter sails, double reefed topsails and made 
tight for a blow. It bids fair for bad weather. 

Sept. 23d. — At noon it was blowing a gale, so we took in all sail, 
got up steam and hove to. As the ship was taking in great quan- 
tities of water we battened down all the hatches. Blowing a 
terrific gale this morning, ship lying-to under storm mizzen and a 
tarpaulin in the weather mizzen rigging to keep her head to it. At 
noon the storm abated somewhat and b}^ sunset we could make 
sail to close reefed topsails. Although the wind is moderate and 
hauling to the west we will have another bad night of it. The 
Wackusett is a perfect sea boat when properly managed. 

Sept. 24th (Sunday). — During the night the wind moderated, so 
that we had quite moderate weather this morning, which continued 
throughout this and the following day, Sept. 25th. 




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M 



MAKING A FINE PASSAGE 135 

Sept. 26th. — Very disagreeable weather all day, with frequent 
rain squalls. The wind decreased in force until 2 p. m., when it 
died out altogether, leaving us rolling in the trough of the sea, 
which was very uncomfortable. At 6 p. m. we started ahead with 
steam, using a short allowance of coal. 

Sept. 27th. — Rainy and squally all day. A very low barom- 
eter. At 3 p. m. the wind suddenly hauled, in a squall, to south-south- 
east. We closed reefed topsails, disconnected the propeller and 
found that we went much faster under sail alone. 

Sept. 28th. — Blowing quite fresh, very cold, so that overcoats 
were quite comfortable. 

Sept. 29th. — To-day we caught an aibatross which measured 
ten feet across its back, from tip to tip of wings. After marking 
her and putting the ship's name on her neck we allowed her to fly 
away and rejoin her companions. 

Sept. 30th. — Wind very strong from the south and east, from 
which direction it has been blowing three or four days with a cur- 
rent setting to the northwest of about twenty-five miles a day. 
Consequently, the ship does not make a very good course for the 
Gape. 

Oct. 1st (Sunday). — At 10 a. m. inspected the crew at quarters, 
called all hands to muster and read the articles of war, and the 
surgeon read divine service to the officers and men mustered 
around the capstan. It has been very pleasant all day. In the 
afternoon we exchanged colors with a French ship. 

Oct. 2d. — We are steaming ahead slowly to the south, being on 
very short allowance of coal. 

Oct. 3d. — A fine breeze struck us at 8 a. m., but toward after- 
noon it moderated. Several sail in sight, all evidently bound for 
the Cape. They all beat us badly at sailing, but on getting up 
steam we ran past them. We are in hopes of striking the westerly 
winds to-morrow, which will carry us to the Cape, thus saving our 
coal, which is getting very low in the bunkers again. 

Oct. 4th. — At sunrise this morning a breeze sprang up from the 
northwest and we at once set all drawing sail, even to studding 
sails. The wind continued strong and fresh all day and we are 
making a fine run of it under sail alone. 

Oct. 5th. — At about ten o'clock last night we witnessed a partial 
eclipse of the moon, which lasted about one hour and a quarter. 
As the wind gave every indication of continuing favorable all day 



136 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 

we hauled all the fires from under the boilers, lowered the smoke- 
stack, bent the mainsail, and are now in every respect a sailing 
craft. One sail in sight to leeward, evidently bound around the 
Cape. I am sorry to acknowledge that she beat us in sailing at 
the rate of about two knots to the hour. 

Oct. Cth. — At noon to-day, on taking an observation, we found 
ourselves one hundred and twenty-three miles to the northward 
of where the "dead reckoning" had placed us, so that we must 
have experienced a very strong northerly current. We hauled 
up two points to overcome it. 

Oct. 7th. — We find the ship's bottom has become so foul as to 
greatly impair her sailing. A change of weather — for the worse — 
is anticipated. To-night, at eight o'clock, we were on the meridian 
of the Island of Tristan d' Acunha, distant about fifty miles. It 
is a dangerous rock, about six miles high, desirable to sight in 
the daytime, but exceedingly dangerous to approach after dark. 

Oct. 8th (Sunday). — Wind still fresh from the southwest, with 
a very heavy sea and current setting in from the south. There 
are frequent heavy squalls of rain during the day and there is every 
appearance of another bad night, the barometer falling very 
rapidly. 

Oct. 9th. — In a rain squall last night the breeze died out, leaving 
us almost in a calm until morning, but with a heavy sea setting in 
from the south. Thick, cold, cloudy weather to-day. 

Oct. lOth-llth. — Continued on our course in the usual way 
these two days. 

Oct. 12th. — We crossed the meridian of Greenwich last night, 
so that we are now in east longitude. It has been beautiful to-day, 
quite cool, sea very smooth, with a pleasant breeze. Busy in 
cleaning ship preparatory to entering port. 

Oct. 13th. — Continued our preparations for entering port. 

Oct. 14th. — To-day we reached the western edge of the Agulhas 
Bank, judging from the discoloration of the water and our position 
at noon, which places us a little over four hundred and fifty mile3 
from the "pitch of the Cape." 

Oct. 15th (Sunday). — A very large and distinct ring was ob- 
served around the sun to-day, which, according to an old sailor's 
yarn, foretells a heavy gale of wind. 

Oct. 16th. — We have been rolling and drifting about for the last 
two days, making scarcely any headway. Finally, at sunset, we 



THE TAIL OF A CYCLONE" 137 

got up steam and started to cover the remaining four hundred 
miles between us and Cape Town. 

Oct. 17th-18th. — These days were passed in steaming on a very- 
short allowance of coal, so that at 8 p. m. on the 18th we were still 
one hundred and ninety-three miles from our immediate destina- 
tion. 

Oct. 19th. — Last night we had all the indications of a strong 
gale eastward of us; sea very rough and the barometer very low, 
but during the morning watch the " tail of the cyclone " passed to 
the north of us, thence to the west and finally to the south; conse- 
quently we just escaped it, although we could almost see it. 

To-day we passed fourteen vessels, all homeward bound, under 
full sail on the wind. A great number of whales and albatrosses 
in sight. 

Oct. 20th. — At daybreak this morning, land was discovered just 
ahead, distant about twenty miles. It proved to be the Cape of 
Good Hope. We got up steam and went at full speed in order to 
make port, as it was blowing very hard from the northeast. Steamed 
by the Cape about 9 a. m. and then up False Bay for an anchorage. 
At 11 a. m. took aboard a pilot and at noon came to anchor in 
Simon's Bay, off the town, and moored ship. As soon as we had 
anchored we were visited by two English naval officers from the 
authorities with the usual tenders of assistance, etc. Saluted the 
English ensign at the fore with twenty-one guns, which were re- 
turned by the fort on shore, gun for gun. 

Simon's Bay is the English naval station and the winter quarters 
for all vessels stopping at the Cape during the winter season. The 
town is very small, situated on the beach at the foot of high moun- 
tains, and in all respects it resembles, from the anchorage, the 
town of Port Grande, Cape de Verdes. And as the principal busi- 
ness is to supply shipping, I do not think that there is anything of 
interest in the town. 

Our consul at Cape Town, Mr. Graham, came over as soon as 
we were telegraphed coming in, and the vice-consul from the shore. 
There is very little shipping in port, the only one of interest being 
the late Confederate cruiser Tuscaloosa, which has been here for 
over two years, but now lying as a mere hulk with no flag or owner. 
One or two letters came on board to some of the officers, in answer 
to some sent from Rio when we first arrived there. We have had 
a very pleasant and quick run of thirty days from Rio de Janeiro 



138 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 

and have only experienced one severe gale during the whole pas- 
sage. The Wyoming sailed from here for Macao last August, she 
having left home nearly three months after we had sailed and is 
now, in all probability, on the Asiatic station — so much for linger- 
ing in different ports. We expect to remain here about one week , 
but time will tell if we get off in that time. 

Oct. 21st. — Frequent showers of rain all day, so that we were 
unable to paint the ship outside, consequently she must look very 
dirty until the first of next week. 

Oct. 22d (Sunday). — I went ashore this morning and attended 
service in the English church, and must acknowledge that it is the 
first Sabbath that has at all resembled our Sabbaths at home that 
we have had since leaving the United States. 

Before returning to the ship we took a walk over the town, which 
was accomplished in about half an hour. The town is composed of 
about two thousand inhabitants of English and German descent 
and a few natives; all speaking the English language. There is 
only one street in the place, which faces the bay. There are no 
places of interest except the Royal Navy Yard and hospital, both 
of which are on a small scale in proportion to the place. The 
houses are low, mostly of one story, and are either white or yellow 
washed and made a neat appearance from the anchorage. Be- 
hind the town are high, rocky and barren hills which would not pay 
for the trouble of ascending them, and like the town, they appear 
to better advantage from the ship's quarter deck. 

Oct. 23d. — Busy all day in painting the ship outside. Several 
English officers visited the ship to-day. 

Oct. 24th. — Busy all day coaling from a hulk and at 5 p. m. was 
obliged to cast her off on account of the wind, which was blowing 
very hard from the southeast, thus raising a heavy sea. The 
English troop ship Valorous practiced at target firing with her 
broadside guns. On the whole she made a very poor showing, 
considering that she has been out three and a half years, so that 
her crew ought to be well drilled in everything. 

Oct. 25th. — Spent all day coaling; that is, between the rain 
squalls. Last night it blew very hard from the southeast, with 
quick and very bright lightning. We were obliged to get up and 
bend the sheet anchor chains and get the anchor ready for letting 
go ; but fortunately we had no occasion for using it. Took a short 
walk on shore this evening between the showers. Our men, when 



TABLE BAY 139 

not at work coaling, were engaged most of the day fishing. I 
never saw a better place to fish than this bay. 

Oct. 26th. — Finished coaling ship to-day, taking in one hundred 
and seventy-two tons. Busy the rest of the time cleaning up. 

Oct. 27th. — During the morning we got up steam under both 
boilers, unmoored ship and made preparations for getting under 
way. At 10 a. m. we went ahead, stood out of Simon's Bay and 
in an hour we rounded the Cape of Good Hope, running close in to 
the land all the way. At 4 p. m. we came to anchor in Table Bay, 
off the city of Cape Town, and moored ship. 

The anchor was no sooner down than we had a swarm of bum- 
boats and washermen around the ship with recommendations, etc., 
seeking permission to come on board. Saluted the English flag 
with twenty-one guns, which were returned by the Castle with 
twenty-one guns. The city of Cape Town makes a very fine ap- 
pearance from the anchorage, it being situated on low land at the 
base of Table Mountain and Devil's Peak and around the shores 
of a pretty little bay. As the spring is rather advanced now and 
consequently there is comparatively good weather, the harbor is 
livelier on account of shipping, which now come here instead of 
to Simon's Bay. But we are the only man of war in port at present. 
We will lay in supplies here for our next run to the East Indies. 

Oct. 28th. — I went ashore in the morning and took a ramble 
about the town, visiting all the places of interest, and then rode out 
on the favorite drive around the "Lion," which is a mountain sit- 
uated between Table Mountain and the sea. I was very much 
pleased with the city, it being well laid out and very neat and 
clean — but thoroughly English in everything. 

Oct. 29th. — To-day the ship was full of visitors, ladies and 
gentlemen from the shore, come to see a Yankee ship — as they 
used to visit Confederate cruisers while refitting here; but now, 
of course, they entertain far different opinions in regard to us 
Northerners. It was beautiful weather all day, but toward even- 
ing Table Mountain spread its "table cloth," which among the 
natives means a change of weather for the worse. 

Oct. 30th-31st. — Busy on these two days in cleaning up ship 
generalty and in scraping gun carriages preparatory to staining 
them. 

Nov. 1st. — In the morning I called upon the officers of the Eng- 
lish sloop of war Valorous. I found them, like all Englishmen, 



140 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 

greatly changed in their feelings toward the North since the close 
of the war. At six o'clock the Valorous got under way and went 
to sea, bound to some port on the east coast of the colony. In 
passing the Wachusett her band played "Hail Columbia" and 
dipped her colors, which of course we answered. During the war 
she would not have done as she did to-day. We had several vis- 
itors off from the shore to-day and they too were sympathizers 
with the South during the war, but now, of course, they are totally 
changed. 

Nov. 2d. — At 9 a. m. I sent forty of our men ashore on liberty, 
just to let this English town be full of Yankee sailors once more; 
which may, no doubt, be quite unpleasant to the Confederate 
sympathizers. 

Nov. 3d. — Busy most of the day in "hogging" the ship so as to 
get the seaweed off her bottom, where it had grown quite thick and 
impairs her speed. Went on shore and visited the Botanical 
Gardens, the famous Breakwater and then went through all the 
apartments of the convict prison, besides riding over the city. 
Spent a A^ery pleasant and instructive day. 

Nov. 4th. — The Wachusett was full of visitors all day. It 
seemed as if everybody from shore had a holiday and the Wa- 
chusett was the rendezvous. 

Nov. 5th. — This being Sunday the ship was again crowded with 
visitors. I went on shore in the evening to church and heard an 
excellent sermon. 

Nov. 6th. — Started for the country with Pegram at 8 a. m. 
Took the cars for the town of Wellington, distant sixty miles, ar- 
riving there at 11 a. m. Spent the remainder of the day in ex- 
amining the town and in the evening called on some ladies. The 
next morning, at daylight, we took a cart and started out, crossed 
the Worcester Mountains and arrived at Fanny's or Darling 
Bridge, distant from Wellington about twenty-two miles. It was 
raining hard all the time and consequently we were much dis- 
gusted, and when we arrived at Fanny's we concluded to return 
to the ship as soon as possible. We had intended to go as far at 
least as Ceres and then spend a day or two in shooting about that 
place, but the weather being so unfavorable we could not enjoy it 
and returned in three days. In crossing Bain's Kloof we would 
have seen some of the most magnificent and grandest scenery in 
the world, but on account of the fog and clouds we could not see a 



LODGE DE GOODE HOOP" 141 

quarter of an inch ahead of us. On the whole have had a dis- 
agreeable time. Returned Wednesday evening in time to attend 
a ball given by our Consul in "Honor of the WachusettM Had a 
very pleasant time. 

[For the first time there is a skip in the dating of Philip's diary. 
It would be unkind to infer that it was the result of the "very 
pleasant time " he had at the ball, but the fact that his next entry 
is dated November 9th is unfortunate. — E. S. M.] 

Nov. 9th. — Blowing a gale of wind from the southeast. Nearly 
all the officers and two boat-crews are still on shore, unable to get 
off to the ship. I came off in a pull boat about daylight this 
morning and am consequently obliged to remain on board, as the 
other officers are on shore. Two English mail steamers came in 
from sea to-day, bringing rumors of war between France and the 
United States. 

Nov. 10th. — Went ashore in the evening to attend a meeting 
of the Masonic lodge "de Goode Hoop.'' Two of our officers were 
initiated in the mysteries of the order. 

Nov. 11th. — I was on shore nearly all day on business and 
pleasure combined. 

Nov. 12th. — After the usual Sunday inspection and services, the 
burial service was read over the body of Edward Ryan, an excellent 
sailor, a native of Massachusetts, who died on the 10th. His body 
was buried on shore. I went on shore in the evening to attend 
service in the English church. 

Nov. 13th. — Ship again crowded with visitors. In the evening 
I went on shore and saw two more of our officers initiated in the 
Masonic lodge. 

Nov. 14th. — Went on shore in the morning and attended the 
Cape Agricultural Fair. Of course it could not compare with 
those we have at home, yet it certainly was creditable for an Eng- 
lish colony. In the evening the officers of the Wachusett met all 
the American residents at a dinner party at the residence of a Mr. 
Holmes from Massachusetts. 

Nov. 15th. — At 10 a. m. the long expected flagship Hartford 
came in and anchored, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Bell. As 
she was steaming in we saluted his flag with thirteen guns, she 
answering with seven. 

In the evening we had a ball aboard the Wachusett, given by 
the wardroom officers to our friends on shore. The ship was decor- 



142 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 

ated with English and American colors, besides signal flags, and 
was nicely illuminated. All seemed to enjoy themselves and 
everything passed off finery. 

Nov. 16th. — Busy in cleaning up the ship again and partially 
making ready to get under way, for since the Admiral has arrived 
there seems to be a prospect of the Wachusett getting on her station, 
for the Admiral is in an awful hurry to get us on our way. 

Nov. 17th. — This is one of the most beautiful days we have had 
since we arrived in Cape Town. The Valorous gave a ball on 
board this afternoon, but as there was some misunderstanding 
about the invitations none of our officers attended, much to the 
disappointment of both parties. In the evening we went on shore 
to a fete in the gardens. All the trees were finely illuminated and 
the grounds were densely crowded with people. Having two large 
bands of music playing in different parts of the grounds and being 
in company with some charming friends we managed to spend a 
very pleasant evening for the Cape. 

Nov. 18th. — Went on shore, took a drive and called upon sev- 
eral friends and had a "jolly time," as the English say. In the 
evening went to the Masonic lodge and saw nine of the Hartford's 
officers initiated. 

Nov. 19th (Sunday). — I went on shore to attend church service 
with some friends. In the evening I went aboard the Hartford. 

Nov. 20th. — All the officers in the Hartford and Wachusett who 
could be spared from duty, went on a picnic out in the country. 
It was given by Captain Holmes and there were about seventy-five 
persons present. 

Nov. 21st. — We had more visitors to-da}r than at any time since 
our being in Cape Town. They, like all the rest, seemed to take 
a fancy to the Wachusett and of course we all enjoyed it. 

I went on shore in the evening to say good-bye to some friends. 
Although spending a very pleasant evening I was sorry to be 
obliged to say adieu so soon; for we all have been treated exceed- 
ingly well since our short stay in this place and of course regret to 
sail so soon. 

Nov. 22d. — Beautiful weather all day, the water as smooth as 
a pond. This morning the orders came on board to go to sea at 
daylight in company with the Hartford. Consequently we were 
busy all day in unmooring ship and in making preparations for 
getting under way. 



A MASONIC DINNER 143 

At noon went on shore with a cutter and brought on board, for 
the last time, some lady friends. Spent a good portion of the 
afternoon in enjoyment, grief, etc., on board, and after visiting 
the Hartford with them for a few minute*, we returned on shore 
and were then obliged to bid them adieu, perhaps forever. 

We are now about leaving Cape Town, and there is more regret 
expressed and felt by the officers than there was in leaving any 
port that we have visited, not even excepting Boston in March last. 
We have met more friends and have been better treated since being 
in Gape Town (and consequently enjoyed ourselves more) than 
could ever have been expected, and better than any foreign man 
of war that has ever anchored in Table Bay. 

In the evening I went on shore and attended a Masonic dinner 
given to the Masons on board the Hartford and Wachusett (twenty- 
two) by the Good Hope lodge. Of course there were the usual 
after dinner speeches, complimentary and national toasts. On 
the whole it was quite a jolly affair and a great compliment to 
us. I shall always remember Gape Town and our pleasant stay 
there. 

Nov. 23d. — At 4 a. m. we started fires under both boilers and 
got up steam. At 6.30 a. m. called "all hands up anchor" and 
got under way in obedience to signal from the Hartford. We both 
steamed out of Table Bay southward and the flagship made signal 
to follow her motions. As soon as we were outside of the harbor 
we had a strong breeze from the west and both ships made sail. 
We stopped the engines and hauled fires. As long as we were 
steaming we could with ease run past the Hartford, but as soon 
as sail was made she generally left us astern and by 3 p. m. she 
was out of sight ahead of us. 

The Hartford is very fast under sail and consequently we could 
not keep company with her, so we must make the passage to Ba- 
tavia alone; our orders being to make the best of our way to that 
port, but in company with the flagship if possible. Blowing very 
hard from the west all day, with quite a high and irregular sea. 
At 3 p. m. we lost sight of the Cape of Good Hope, our ship standing 
south in order to get into the higher latitude and fall in with the 
westerly winds to carry us across the south Indian Ocean to the 
coast of Australia. We are all exceedingly sorry to leave Cape 
Town, for all have had a very pleasant time there. 

Nov. 24th-25th. — On these two days we experienced very heavy 



144 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 

winds with frequent rain squalls, the ship rolling very deep and 
taking in large quantities of water. 

Nov. 26th. — At 4 p. m. the water became very much discolored, 
a light green, as if we were on a bank. Took in the studding sails, 
hove-to and on heaving the " deep sea " lead found no bottom with 
one hundred and twenty fathoms (seven hundred and twenty feet) 
of line. Filled away again and stood on our course and in about 
half an hour the water was of the original color, deep sea blue, so 
that we have, apparently, crossed over this shoal. The cause of 
the discoloration is unknown, unless it might have been whale 
feed at some distance below the surface. 

Nov. 27th. — A heavy gale came up, with increasing sea. The 
captain, thinking it better to run out of the gale than to lie-to until 
it passed us, kept the ship off to the west by north and by eight 
o'clock in the evening the wind had so much decreased that we 
were able to turn the reefs out of the topsails and set the topgallant 
sails again, and resume our course eastward. Thus by running 
back only four hours we are again in fine weather, whereas, if we 
had continued on our course we might have experienced a severe 
gale of a day or so, and have been extremely uncomfortable in the 
bargain. 

Nov. 28th. — Wind and sea more moderate, although the weather 
was quite eool and cloudy, yet to-day was one of the best we have 
had since leaving the Cape. Shifted the sailing trim of the ship 
by bringing her more by the stern, in hopes of getting more speed 
out of her. 

Nov. 29th. — Weather fine all day, but the wind gradually hauled 
abeam until the ship was heading north, when we wore ship to the 
southeast. After she was around she would make higher than 
southeast, so one can see that the Wachusett is no ship to work to 
windward under sail alone. 

Nov. 30th. — The barometer has been falling all day and there is 
every sign of bad weather to-night. We are one week out of port 
to-day, and strange as it may appear to navy officers, pleasant re- 
membrances of our stay in Cape Town are still uppermost in our 
minds. 

Dec. 1st. — Last evening there was every indication of bad 
weather and I think that the night turned out to be one of the 
strangest I have ever experienced. The barometer was falling 
continually until it reached 29.50, the lowest we had had on this 



HEAVY WEATHER 145 

cruise. There was little or no wind until 4 a.m. and the atmos- 
phere was very rare, although it was raining furiously and every- 
thing could be heard distinctly. In fact, it seemed like one vast 
sounding board. It could only be accounted for by supposing 
the ship to be in the center of a cyclone, or nearly so, and being 
carried along with it at a slow rate until four o'clock, when we 
hauled more to the north and in a very short time we had a strong 
breeze from the west, which we have been running before all day. 
At 8 p. m. the barometer began to rise again, but slowly. 

Dec. 2d. — Fine weather all day. To-day we held a summary 
court martial on one of the men for theft, but they were unable to 
prove it against him. This, I think, is the first case of a summary 
court in the service not being able to convict the person tried. 

Dec. 3d (Sunday). — A new species of seagull appeared around the 
ship. It was a dark lead color and had the shape of an albatross, 
but was a little smaller. 

Dec. 4th. — At 11.30 last night we carried away the fore topsail 
in the slings; it blowing quite hard at the time. Secured the wreck, 
unbent the sail and sent it down with the wreck of the yard to the 
deck. Blowing almost a gale all night and day and was obliged to 
batten down the hatches, as we were shipping heavy seas. Very 
fortunately for us we brought a spare topsail yard with us from 
Boston, else we would have been in a sad condition to make the 
passage to Batavia, still distant five thousand miles. Busy all day 
repairing damages. 

Dec. 5th. — This morning sent aloft and crossed the topsail yard, 
bent the sail and then made all plain sail. Attempted to exercise 
the crew at the great guns, but owing to a slight roll on the ship we 
came near losing the 100-pounder rifles overboard, besides injuring 
the deck seriously. I secured the battery and came to the con- 
clusion that those guns were exercised for the last time at sea. 

Dec. 6th. — Pleasant breeze and smooth sea all day and having 
nothing particular to do we decided to enjoy ourselves to the ut- 
most, which, of course, we tried to do. 

Dec. 7th. — Weather continues fine, but to-night we have indi- 
cations of an approaching gale, or wet and bad weather. 

Dec. 8th. — Still another day of fresh westerly winds, but there 
has been a very heavy swell from the southwest, which caused the 
ship to roll frightfully, making everything exceedingly uncom- 
fortable on board. A thick fog rested on the sea at intervals all 



146 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 

day, and we have indications of a strong gale blowing some dis- 
tance to the south of us. 

Dec. 9th. — It has been rather hazy and misty at intervals all 
day, with a fresh breeze from the westward, but a very heavy swell 
still from the southwest. 

Dec. 10th (Sunday). — To-day we were again favored with a 
very strong, steady breeze from the northwest, but it was impos- 
sible to get more than eight knots out of the old ship under all plain 
sail. The barometer is very low to-night and continues falling 
rapidly; 29.70. Perhaps bad weather is in store for us. 

Dec. 11th. — This has been one of the disagreeable days at sea. 
Two kinds may be mentioned: one when it blows a gale of wind, 
and the other a rainy calm. We have had the latter all day. 

Dec. 12th. — The wind sprang up during the midwatch last 
night and blew quite fresh from the southwest until midday, when 
it again died out, and it has been calm the remainder of the day. 

Dec. 13th. — About daybreak the wind sprang up and has con- 
tinued to blow, increasing in force all day, until to-night it blows 
quite hard. Barometer low and falling all the time ; sea increasing. 

Dec. 14th. — The greater portion of this day I consider as having 
been thrown away, for in the last twenty-four hours we have had a 
very heavy wind from the northwest and instead of running down 
our longitude at ten knots per hour we have been fooling away our 
time by the road. The barometer was lower than we have had it 
since leaving Boston. 

Dec. 15th. — At eight o'clock this evening we passed the meridian 
of the Island of St. Paul, which, by our orders, we were to sight, 
but the wind having favored us of late we passed about two hun- 
dred miles to the north of it. 

Dec. 17th. — Yesterday there was a school of whales quite near 
the ship, and to-day we had another land of a school. Porpoises 
came so near to us that one of the forecastle men succeeded in 
spearing one and getting him on board. This incident, and the 
losing of one of our monkeys overboard, rather broke the monot- 
ony of our voyage. 

Dec. 19th. — Yesterday passed without any incident of note. 
To-day, at noon, we are two thousand one hundred miles from 
Batavia, and this afternoon we exchanged colors with two large 
ships, one English and one Danish, apparently bound for India. 
These are the first sails we have seen since we left the Gape. Now 



A CHRISTMAS AT SEA 147 

we may expect to see vessels every day, for we are nearly in the 
track of vessels bound for China. 

Dec. 20th-21st. — Little of note these days, except that this after- 
noon my pet monkey, " Little Jack," was frightened overboard 
and lost. I was very sorry about it, for he was a great pet with 
everybody and has been on board ever since we arrived at the 
Cape de Verdes. I intended to have brought him home to the 
Catskills. 

Dec. 22d. — To-day two whales are very near the ship, one very 
large and the other small, evidently a cow and a calf. We did not 
molest them. 

Dec. 24th. — Aside from being laid up with violent cramps there 
was nothing to break the monotony of the cruise yesterday. To- 
night being Christmas eve, we are trying to have a jolly time, as 
well as we can at this distance from civilization. One year ago 
to-night I was in the monitor Montauk. She was then on the ad- 
vance picket line in front of Charleston, S. C, between Sumter and 
Moultrie. Where will we spend Christmas, 1866. [In a foot 
note Philip records that it was spent in Hong Kong. — E. S. M.] 

Dec. 25th (Christmas). — Raining quite hard all day; calm until 
1 p.m., when the wind came out quite fresh from the southeast and 
blew steady and hard from that quarter the remainder of the 
day — a heavy swell setting in from the southwest. 

This has been rather a dull Christmas, but we did the best we 
could to spend it agreeably. Of course the dinner was the prin- 
cipal object of the day. This makes the tenth consecutive Christ- 
mas I have spent away from home. When will I spend Christmas 
at home again ? 

Dec. 26th-27th. — These two days were spent in battling with 
strong, dangerous winds, all the ordinary routine being suspended 
on that account. 

Dec. 28th. — At midnight we "beat to general quarters" for 
exercise as if engaged in action. The crew did very well consid- 
ering that it was the first "night quarters" we have ever had on 
board, the ship being ready for action in every particular inside 
of six minutes from the first alarm of the drum. 

Dec. 29th-30th. — As we are now within "thinking distance" of 
our port, we spent these two days in making preparations for 
entering port. 

Dec. 31st (Sunday). — Since we left Boston, we have been one 



148 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 

hundred and forty-five days at sea and have sailed nineteen thou- 
sand two hundred and sixty-seven knots, or about twenty-three 
thousand one hundred and eighteen miles, and are now on the 
three hundred and second day of the cruise. 

Jan. 1st. — As it was calm all day, I celebrated New Year's Day 
by lowering the dingey and with Pegram and Paymaster Sears, 
pulled a short distance from the ship, and went in swimming — 
for a bath in the middle of the Indian Ocean. 

Jan. 2d-3d. — Very hot and uncomfortable these two days. 

Jan. 4th-6th. — These three days spent in making preparations 
for entering port. 

Jan. 7th. — Nothing to break the monotony of man of war life 
to-day. Having it calm for the last ten days it is especially irk- 
some when we are so near our port. It has a tendency to make us 
growl considerably. One year ago to-day I arrived at home after 
an absence of three years on blockade duty; mostly off Charleston. 

Jan. 9th. — Yesterday we were only one hundred miles from Java 
Head and were delayed by unfavorable winds. To-day we got up 
steam under one boiler and started ahead under steam. 

Jan. 10th. — Very dark and squally last night, so that we were 
not certain of our position. At 10 p. m., supposing our position 
to be about ten miles from Java Head, we stopped engines and 
hove-to. At daylight we found ourselves in the mouth of the 
Straits of Sunda. Got up steam and went ahead up the straits 
along the coast of Java. Running ahead all day under low steam. 

Passed Anjer Lighthouse about 3 p. m., when a small native 
bumboat, laden with fruit, chickens, etc., came alongside. We 
gave it a line and in a short time the officers had bought them 
completely out. After a passage of forty-nine days at sea, tropical 
fruit becomes a great luxury at the different messes, and one can 
imagine how we enjoyed the contents of this bumboat after this 
voyage on almost low diet. 

At 10 p. m., it being very dark and thick, with heavy thunder 
and lightning, we came to anchor in nineteen fathoms (one hundred 
and fourteen feet) of water in a bay about forty-four miles from 
the anchorage off Batavia. The Straits of Sunda are quite nar- 
row (very deep water), and have beautiful scenery on each side. 
The largest islands, of course, are Sumatra and Java, but there is 
a large number of smaller ones situated between these two, all 
having high mountainous peaks from two thousand to twelve 



BEAUTIFUL SCENERY 149 

thousand seven hundred feet high, covered with dense forests, 
but near their bases or along the shore they seem to be in a high 
state of cultivation, and apparently quite civilized, judging from 
their appeareance. We passed a large number of merchant ves- 
sels. I think that to-night is the darkest night that I have ever 
experienced, either at sea or on shore. 

(Philip's Journal Continued in XVII.) 



CHAPTER XV 

A CHAPLAIN'S RECOLLECTIONS OF PHILIP. 

David Howard Tribou 

MY acquaintance with Rear- Admiral Philip began 
in 1877, at Hampton Roads, Va., when he was a 
commander in command of the U. S. S. Adams 
and I was attached to the flagship Hartford. At his re- 
quest I frequently held divine service on board the Adams 
Sunday afternoons, and he was a constant attendant. 
After a sermon one day he asked me to give him a list of 
passages in the Bible bearing on the meaning of the 
word "perish." I was much impressed by his serious 
manner at the time and never forgot it, although I think 
he did not remember the circumstance. 

He went to the Pacific and I did not see liim again till 
he came to Philadelphia, in 1891, as inspector of the 
armored cruiser New York. When she went into com- 
mission I was ordered to join her and had the rare priv- 
ilege of serving under his command until his detachment 
in August, 1894. For some time after joining the ship 
he was somewhat reserved in his manner, as it seemed to 
me, and while he always listened to my suggestions and, 
so far as I can now remember, generally approved them, 
he was very slow to suggest anything. He did not like 
the service to be too short and he once said to me, 
"Chaplain, don't you think it would do those young fel- 
lows good if you read more Scripture to them?" I took 
the hint (even then I knew him well enough to know that 




Mrs. John Woodward Philip. 
(From a recent photograph.) 



philip's democracy 151 

I had better) and the services were lengthened in con- 
sequence. 

We held two services on Sunday, " whenever the 
weather and other circumstances would permit," and 
he was always in attendance when he was on board. We 
also had a Christian Endeavor Society, which met on 
Wednesday evenings, and he was always on hand. He 
consented to his election as vice-president, but he never 
spoke at any meeting. He would sometimes select 
something which he wished me to read to the society — 
usually some clipping from a newspaper — and I noticed 
that he had a quick eye for everything bearing on the 
subject of prayer. 

Although the New York was fitted for a flagship, she 
had no admiral until just before Captain Philip was 
detached. He quite took away my breath one day on 
the passage to Rio Janeiro, by asking me to occupy the 
admiral's stateroom. My room in the wardroom was 
immediately over three condensers and was exceedingly 
hot when the ship was under way, but I entered a mild 
demurrer against a wardroom officer occupying the 
cabin. He looked at me a moment and came the near- 
est to rebuking me that he ever did when he said, "See 
here, chaplain, if I hadn't wanted you to occupy that 
room, I shouldn't have asked you." I have sometimes 
thought that, even at that time, he was conscious of 
physical infirmities and preferred not to be too far away 
from help in case of need ; but he said nothing more, and 
I moved into the cabin. 

It was rather an anomalous position and I was not 
altogether at ease in it, but I kept very quiet, still re- 
tained my room below, and had very little of my belong- 
ings where he could see them. We saw very little more 
of each other than if I were living below, but, of course, 



152 a chaplain's RECOLLECTION OF PHILIP 

he knew I was near him and he saw me passing in and 
out. He made it very easy for me, although I do not 
now recall that he ever came into the stateroom I was 
occupying while I was there. We were frequently 
brought together in the discharge of our official duties, 
but there have been very few commanding officers with 
whom I ever sailed whom I visited less. 

I remember one day we had a mail, after some con- 
siderable interruption of our postal arrangements, and 
he had a large file of New York papers. I went into the 
cabin from the deck (not through the door leading from 
the admiral's cabin) to get a look at the papers. He 
nodded as I came in and I picked up a journal and began 
to read. Presently he rang his bell for the orderly and 
said, in my presence, " Orderly, I don't want anybody 
in the cabin now!" I think he had entirely forgotten 
that I was present, for I never knew him to say anything 
like that before, but I lost no time in retreating to the 
wardroom. 

We sailed for Rio Janeiro the day after Christmas, 
1893, on account of the revolution there, and arrived at 
St. Lucia, where we were to coal, on Sunday morning. 
This being an English port, all business is suspended on 
the Sabbath, but we as were ordered to proceed to Rio 
with all dispatch, it was not long before the coal was 
coming on board as rapidly as if it were a secular day. 
There was no service that day, and I believe it was the 
only day when we did not have service at least once on 
Sunday during the time he was in command. 

There was one Sunday when we had service only once. 
I shall never forget it. It was just after Rear- Admiral 
Benham informed Da Gama that American merchant 
vessels would go where they pleased in the harbor of Rio, 
so long as they did not interfere with the military move- 



THE DA CAMA EPISODE AT RIO 153 

ments then taking place. Da Gama had replied that he 
was in possession of the harbor, and Benham had in- 
formed him that that was a matter that could easily be 
settled the next day. I had gone on deck to ask the 
officer of the deck for permission to hold the regular 
evening service. I found him at the port gangway, and 
the captain just coming up the ladder. As Philip stepped 
on deck he said, " Clear ship for action; we're going to 
clean out those fellows (pointing to Da Gama's ships) at 
daybreak." His face was wreathed in smiles and he was 
as impatient as a boy to see the work begin. There was 
nothing said about service, for in less time than it takes 
to tell it, the boatswain's mates were piping " clear ship 
for action." 

There was a gun in the captain's stateroom which 
required some overhauling and it was nearly midnight 
when he turned in. I don't think he slept much, for he 
was on deck as soon as the day broke, and remained there 
till the rebels acknowledged that the Americans had the 
freedom of the harbor. He had craved the privilege of 
attacking Da Gama's ship, which was the most formid- 
able of all. 

There was a great deal of yellow fever in Rio at the 
time, and it was specially bad among the shipping. As 
I had spent considerable time there, was thoroughly ac- 
climated, and knew the place well, I was sent ashore on 
duty several times; the Admiral, who had the San 
Francisco for his flagship, giving our captain permission 
to send me if he thought it was safe. There were always 
errands to do for officers who were not permitted to go 
ashore, but I do not remember that Captain Philip ever 
asked me to do an errand. He was one of the most un- 
selfish men I ever knew, and more than willing to give up 
his own comforts for the benefit of those less fortunate 



154 a chaplain's RECOLLECTION OF PHILIP 

than himself. We never discussed religious subjects 
except in the abstract, and rarely at all. 

I remember one morning, when we were on our way 
from New York to Gloucester, I met Philip near his 
cabin door and he motioned to me to follow him. As I 
stepped inside he said: "Chaplain, I know you don't be- 
lieve in prayer, but I want to tell you what happened to 
me this morning." That was "Jack" Philip all over. 
I understood him perfectly. What he meant was that 
I did not believe in special providences to the same ex- 
tent that he did. Then he told me of standing on the 
end of the forward bridge, in a thick, cold fog of an early 
morning, and putting up a silent prayer which was an- 
swered within five minutes. He asked me what I had 
to say to that, and I replied that God speaks to men per- 
sonally, and they to whom He speaks are the only ones 
competent to vouch for the message. 

He had a well-worn Bible on his desk and I know he 
was a devout reader of it, but I never saw him reading it, 
and I have no doubt that he laid it aside whenever any one 
came into the cabin. He did not wear his heart on his 
sleeve. 

As for "speaking in meeting," as he called it, that was 
quite beyond him. He told me once of an experience 
he had in some interior town in New York. It was his 
custom to attend a weekly prayer-meeting whenever it 
was possible, and one evening he found himself, with six 
ladies, in a chapel waiting for the minister. When he 
came, a hymn was sung, a lesson of Scripture read, 
prayer was offered and, in announcing the second hymn, 
the minister said: "After the singing of this hymn we 
will listen to a few remarks from the stranger who has 
come in with us." I do not know just the form of words 
Philip used in declining, but in relating the story he said 



AS A DISPENSER OP JUSTICE 155 

he looked up with the most intense surprise and huskily 
replied: "Not much!" "Not much; you won't?" 

There was a small boy in the ship's company who was 
mischief itself. Among the pets of the New York was 
a Brazilian pig which the men named "Da Gama." 
One day this young rascal haled one of the big, burly 
boatswain's mates to the mast and reported him for 
abusing the pig. Now cruelty to animals is so utterly 
unknown among sailors that the captain was disposed to 
laugh, so he said to the boy: " Is that pig any relation to 
you?" "No," replied the young reprobate, "but that 
pig's got feelings just the same as you have!" This was 
too much for Captain Philip and he dismissed the case. 

At another time a man came to the mast to complain 
that he was kept in the fourth class in conduct. His 
reputation was bad, but he wanted to know the reason 
why he was forever kept in that class. Philip looked at 
him an instant and then said: "Well, I think you ought 
to know, and so I'll tell you. It's only because there is 
no fifth class." 

One day a number of the officers were invited to make 
an excursion by rail from Kingston, Jamaica, to the 
terminus of the railroad, some distance toward the 
mountains. Philip said to me: "See here, chaplain, 
I'm going to take my coxswain and one of the gig's crew 
along; nominally to carry the lunch, but really so that 
they can enjoy the trip with us. You don't suppose 
anybody will object, do you?" I might have reminded 
him that it was not considered good form for junior 
officers to object to anything their commanding officer 
proposed to do, but instead, I replied that the thought 
did him credit, and I was glad it had occurred to him. 

When this same young coxswain subsequently de- 
serted (carrying away the treasury of the Christian En- 



156 a chaplain's RECOLLECTION OF PHILIP 

deavor Society) Philip said to me: "After all we did 
for that fellow, think of it!" But he said nothing more 
and, so far as I know, made no special effort to have 
him arrested. 



CHAPTER XVI 

A LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIP 

Rear- Admiral Henry Clay Taylor, U. S. N. 

MY knowledge of Admiral Philip began in 1861. 
The war with the South having broken out, 
our studies at the Naval Academy at Annapolis 
became somewhat disordered, and the young midshipr 
men had to care for themselves during the troublous 
days of April, 1861. 

I had entered the Academy a few months before and 
with my class had been quartered during the winter 
aboard the old Constitution, where we messed and swung 
our hammocks on her historic old decks. 

Presently Confederate troops appeared in the vi- 
cinity; and after several night alarms, when we young- 
sters turned out and mustered on deck to defend the 
old ship, we were removed to the shore and quartered 
in the buildings occupied by the upper classes. Here 
I found myself, quite by chance, under the immediate 
charge of Jack Philip. He was one of the first class, 
counting among its members Sampson, as leading mid- 
shipman or cadet officer, and Lloyd Phenix, as second in 
rank and standing. Already Jack Philip's name had 
become known as second to none as a seaman, and above 
all in popularity and the warm affection of his com- 
rades. Philip was the second captain of the gun's crew 
to which I was assigned, the first captain being an officer 
of good character and standing, but over conscientious 



158 A LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIP 

and relentlessly religious; qualities which made him 
morose and exacting, and more feared than loved by 
the midshipmen under his orders. 

Philip, knowing these traits in the man, gathered me, 
a green youngster, under his especial care; warned me 
of the peculiar prejudices I would encounter, and how I 
should behave to avoid trouble with him. 

Philip's attitude toward me, as soon as he saw that I 
was young and green, was that of a kindly elder brother 
from whom was due the protection and sympathy I 
needed. 

The memory of those few days of excitement and con- 
fusion, with my seat at mess next to his, of his advice as 
to keeping my arms ready during the night to answer 
the alarms of attack, of his humorous warnings about 
the first captain with his melancholy glance seeking for 
misdemeanor to report, though Philip never inculcated 
by word or act any disrespect for his senior ; the memory 
of these times, I say, will dwell long with me. They were 
stirring days. War with all its grimness of visage was 
upon us. Fleets of transports anchored in the bay. 
Regiments camped under the shadow of our buildings. 
We ourselves, young as we were, slept but broken sleep 
between the calls to arms. 

Against this changeful and fleeting background some 
faces stand out prominently: among the officers Lieu- 
tenant George Rodgers, who later was killed in battle 
off Charleston — and who, rising to the moment's need, 
became still more our commander and friend — and among 
the midshipmen Jack Philip, hearty and mirthful and 
brimming over with that love for his fellow man, that 
sacred pity for all that suffered or were weak which 
seems^tof exist only in the largest and most beautiful 
natures. 4?ib v i ■ •. 



"go 'way, dago, go 'way" 159 

As the war cloud settled down over the land we sepa- 
rated, and I saw nothing of him during the four years of 
conflict, I remaining two years at the Naval Academy 
and being ordered to squadrons at a distance from him 
when I graduated. 

We met again in 1868 and 1869, Philip as navigator 
of the Richmond and I of the Guard. Our ships laid long 
in Lisbon, and we made many trips together in that 
picturesque vicinity. Once we went to a point on the 
banks of the Tagus opposite Lisbon for the purpose of 
taking observations of the sun to rate our chronometers. 
He would mark the time for me while I took the sights, 
and we would then reverse, I marking the time for him. 

There were some workmen near by engaged in exca- 
vating a dock: one or two of them came to us and in 
their patois said something very earnestly. Neither of 
us understood them, and were besides much engrossed 
with our observations. A few moments later another 
deputation of the workmen approached, and with some 
solemnity of visage and much ejaculation and gesticula- 
tion jabbered at us. 

Jack, who had his eye at his sextant in the midst of a 
series of sights, carried on a running commentary: "Go 
'way, Dago, go 'way, Dago (Mark, Harry; did you get 
it that time?), go 'way, Dago (Mark, Harry)." Finally 
our interviewers drew away with solemn shrugs of protest, 
and just as Jack and I had finished our series of sights a 
tremendous explosion occurred in an excavation near by, 
almost shaking us into the Tagus ; and a moment after- 
ward the rubbish which the blast had thrown skyward 
began raining down on us in the shape of dirt, pebbles 
and rocks up to the size of a coal scuttle. In the midst 
of the infernal din, and while the danger was really 
imminent, Jack's wild laugh rang out as he called me: 



160 A LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIP 

"Watch the Dagoes' faces, Harry!" The Dagoes evi- 
dently thought us crazy, and were astonished that we 
were not more alarmed at the explosion. 

Thirty years later he said almost the same words to 
me, this time through a megaphone. He had been 
engaging the Socapa batteries at Santiago with his ship, 
the Texas, and I coming on the scene in the Indiana, 
having been away engaged in convoying General Shafter's 
army to Santiago, was ordered to join in the action. 
We had been engaged briskly for some time, and finally 
in obedience to signal from the flagship had hauled out 
of range, Philip with one man killed and several wounded, 
and I with my starboard bow-plate crushed in by a 
Spanish shell, which exploded under my bow. 

I turned to go back to my station to the eastward, and 
passing near the Texas, Philip, with that same thoughful- 
ness ever natural to him, called through the megaphone : 
"Watch those Dagoes as you go back, Harry!" — for he 
knew, as I did not, that abreast the entrance was an area 
upon which the Spanish guns were directed and ready to 
fire. 

After our experience in Lisbon, and a visit, long and 
happily remembered, to Cintra, where we spent a day 
together among its crags and castles, another term of 
years elapsed before we were again together, this time 
in the Pacific. 

Philip's name as a seaman, administrator and manager 
had continued to grow more and more widely known, 
until, after a cruise in China waters, he was asked by the 
chiefs of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company to take 
command of one of their finest vessels which plied between 
San Francisco and China. The offer came at a time when 
our Navy was at its dullest, but when Philip was in the 
prime of his activity. He added many laurels to his 



BEGINNING OF THE SPANISH WAR 161 

professional reputation by his command of this vessel, 
and secured, what at first seemed hopeless to all his Navy 
friends, the loyal friendship and affection of the Pacific 
Mail captains and officers, many of whom he superseded 
b3 r taking a command in that company ^ 

During those years I was busy in surveying work on 
the coasts of California and Oregon, and Philip was 
equally engrossed with his occupations; so that our inter- 
course was much interrupted, and our chats brief and of 
rare occurrence. He was then much in China, and his 
talk to me when we met in San Francisco dwelt often on 
our mutual friend there, Lieutenant-Commander Douglas 
Cassell, whom we both greatly admired. There had 
existed then for many years a warm regard among us, 
and we both looked upon Cassell as the coming man in 
the Far East, who was to stand to the Japanese in their 
development as Gordon had done to China shortly before. 

This was not to be, and Jack and I were soon after 
called upon to mourn the death of this gallant fellow and 
loyal friend. 

Again we drifted apart, and had only occasional meet- 
ings, or exchanged letters on rare occasions, this condi- 
tion extending over a period of twenty years, 1877 to 
1897. In the latter year, or in the beginning of '98, we 
found ourselves in the same squadron, Philip command- 
ing the Texas and I the Indiana. We had proceeded 
southward to the Gulf of Mexico under the broad flag of 
Admiral Sicard, and were lying with the rest of the fleet 
in the Dry Tortugas. I had been away on a few weeks' 
leave, and had just had a kindly message from Jack upon 
my return. We were all, of course, watching intently 
the progress of affairs in Cuba. We felt that a point had 
been reached in the increasing strain and friction between 
the United States and Spain, w T here it was easier and 



162 A LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIP 

probably wiser to fight than to continue making faces 
at each other. I felt this strongly, while Philip, though 
not believing that we ought to fight, had little doubt 
that we would do so at an early day. 

Suddenly at daylight a torpedo boat entering the harbor 
at full speed, gave the Admiral news that the Maine had 
been blown up and lost, with most of her people. 

Then came a council of captains, called by the Admiral 
aboard the flagship, and as a result of the conference, 
the New York and Iowa went to Key West, leaving the 
Texas, Captain Philip; the Massachusetts, Captain Hig- 
ginson, and the Indiana, Captain Taylor, to guard 
Tortugas, keep ready for war and watch for Spanish 
torpedo boats. 

Here again we saw each other constantly for the best 
part of two months, and so closely were we thrown 
together that Philip named us the "Tortugas Trio." 
Here, too, I relearned my old friend, finding his religious 
faith burning with a steady fervor, while his kindly and 
benevolent humanity had mellowed with his growth, 
and tinctured all his life and actions with its noble essence. 

From this time on until his death we were never long 
separated. He took the Texas north to join the Flying 
Squadron, while I remained south with the Indiana, 
but we soon met again, and were together on the blockade 
of Santiago. 

His ship and mine divided the nights between us as 
guard ships, lying close in to the entrance alongside of 
the searchlight ships. As I steamed up night after 
night to relieve him in the darkness, it was rare that some 
kindly, humorous or even affectionate word did not come 
from him through the megaphone, as he dropped back 
with his ship to the blockading line. 

Of the climax of the war, and our fighting side by side 



AT THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD 163 

against Cervera in the great battle that concluded the 
war I need not speak, for his noble conduct there is 
already well known and graphically described. Follow- 
ing the war I served under his broad flag during the period 
that he relieved Sampson in command of the fleet, and 
later had the pleasure, while lying in the Indiana at the 
Brooklyn Navy Yard, to welcome him upon his arrival 
there to take command of the station in the winter of 
1898-1899. 

Still later I came again under his kindly authority when 
ordered to the command of the receiving ship Vermont, 
at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, in March, 1899, and from 
that time until his death on the 30th of June, our friendly 
intercourse was resumed, and I was a daily witness of 
his worthy life, dedicated to warm friendship, earnest and 
cheerful religion, and devoted affection toward those to 
whom he was attached by ties of love or duty. 

With our dim recognition of God's purpose, we cannot 
refrain from grief at his loss and that he should be taken 
from so many whose lives were strengthened and en- 
nobled by his lofty example. 



CHAPTER XVII 



CRUISING IN THE EAST INDIES 

WE left the Wachusett at anchor some forty-four 
niiijs from Batavia after a fairly good run of 
forty-nine days from Cape Town. As this 
was Philip's first visit to the Far East, he was quick to 
note and comment on the new scenes, strange customs 
and odd habits of people who had the bad taste to live 
on the other side of the world from Kinderhook, and 
he freely expressed his opinion of them and their 
doings in that free and easy manner that was so char- 
acteristic of the man and which makes all his writings 
so readable. 

philip's journal of a cruise 

(Continued from Page 149) 

Jan. 11th, 1866 (Batavia). — At daylight this morning we got 
under way and steamed down the straits to Batavia, anchoring off 
the city at 1 p. m. After mooring ship and being visited by the 
Dutch authorities, we saluted the Dutch flag with twenty-one 
guns and the Dutch admiral with thirteen, which were duty re- 
returned. No sooner was the anchor down than the ship was 
surrounded with bumboats having all kind of fruit, etc., for sale, 
and the everlasting ship chandlers with their "letters of recom- 
mendation," desiring the patronage of this ship for their establish- 
ments on shore. 

The natives here are about the same as those in the other ports 
at which we touched. The most that can be said of them is that 
they, also, are in search of the everlasting dollar — those on shore 
may have other characteristics. 



BATAVIA 165 

We have at last arrived at Batavia after a passage of fifty days 
from Cape Town. The Hartford sailed when we did and arrived 
here on the 28th of December and sailed again for Hong Kong last 
Saturday, January 6th, thus beating the Wachusett about fourteen 
days in the passage. She steamed and we sailed all the 
way. 

Jan. 12th. — Very hot all day, the thermometer being 93 in the 
shade. Busy on board ship in cleaning up and settling down to 
"port routine." The United States Consul, Mr. Tappan, of Massa- 
chusetts, visited the ship. Saluted him with seven guns when he 
left. 

I went on shore and visited the city. Batavia is the chief city 
of Java, situated at the mouth of a river, and is the capital of the 
Dutch possessions in the East. It has a population of about 
one hundred and sixty thousand inhabitants, consisting of Euro- 
peans, Chinese, Moors, Arabs, and aborigines; and of this number 
only about three thousand are Europeans. The city itself lies 
about six miles back from the bay and is approached by boats 
through a canal, and then you take carriages and drive — but 
never walk. 

It is built in the old Dutch style, the buildings are all one story 
high and raised a little from the ground. The streets are quite 
regularly laid out and are intersected by canals, navigable only 
by small boats. The city is very beautiful, the streets being nicely 
shaded by trees on each side and are very clean, except in the 
Chinese districts. The business part of the city is nearest to the 
bay, while the residences are to the back. All of the Europeans, 
and some of the wealthiest natives, have beautiful residences on 
the outskirts, while some live in fine bungalows nearer their places 
of business. The city contains many places of interest to Europeans 
visiting it for the first time. 

In the evening everybody rides out in carriages of different 
styles. In fact, the pleasantest time to be ashore is in the evening, 
the middle of the day being so excessively hot and all persons, 
except those at business, are shut up in the shade, " not at home," 
etc., to strangers. In the evening we went to the opera. 

I have never visited a place where everything is so dear (except 
fruits, etc.), although it is reported that Batavia is a free port. 
In the city each of the different classes of inhabitants retain their 
own national characteristics, customs, dress, etc. 



166 CRUISING IN THE EAST INDIES 

Jan. 13th. — Remained on board to superintend some little work, 
but most of the officers went on shore, as usual in a foreign port. 

Jan. 14th (Sunday). — After service went on shore and drove all 
over the city. In the evening went to the King's Square to hear 
the Dutch military band play and called upon the Consul. This 
day is kept by all the Europeans in a style suitable to the place ; 
that is, all of their places of business are closed, but none of them 
attended divine service at any church; the Chinese and natives 
observed the day only by dressing a little better, and as some of the 
establishments are closed, they consider it their best day for doing 
business. 

Some of the Chinese and native temples are magnificent and are 
quite a sight for strangers visiting the city. The natives are per- 
fectly harmless and inoffensive, but the Dutch hold them under 
strict control and vigilance. Washington is called a city of mag- 
nificent distances, but it cannot begin to compare with Batavia 
for distances about the city. Here a pair of shoes can easily be 
dispensed with, but it would be impossible to get along without a 
horse. 

Jan. 15th. — This morning we examined the mate of the American 
merchant ship George Green to see if he was competent to take her 
home to New York. 

Jan. 16th. — The distance to the city is too great and the ride too 
tedious for our officers to go up every day, so I remained on board 
to-day. 

Jan. 17th. — Went on shore for a few hours to do a little "shop- 
ping," and purchased a few articles for the ship on account of 
Uncle Sam, but it was too hot to remain long. Began taking in 
provisions for sea use. 

Jan. 19th. — Went on board and secured the passage of a pound 
of coffee by the George Green for New York, to be forwarded thence 
to Catskill. 

Jan. 21st. — Our acting chaplain not being on board to-day we 
did not have the usual reading of divine service by the surgeon. 
But in other respects everything passed off as usual. 

Jan. 22d. — Raining furiously all the morning. I had made 
preparations for coaling ship, but on account of the rain we could 
not leave the anchorage. But at 3 p. m. it cleared up and a Dutch 
naval officer came on board to pilot us to the coal depot. Got 
under way and steamed to their naval station, and made fast along- 



AMONG DANGEROUS SHOALS 167 

side of a wharf on the island of Kniper to coal ship in the morning. 
Kniper is the Dutch naval coal depot and is adjacent to and con- 
nected by bridge with the island of Onrust, which latter is their 
chief naval station for all their possessions in the East. 

The Dutch authorities are exceedingly kind and obliging to the 
representatives of Uncle Sam, although a few short months ago 
they were ardent admirers of the Confederacy; but doing no 
material harm to the Government. This, of course, is not for- 
gotten. Like the English, they appear very sorry and humble for 
the part they acted in the late war. 

Jan. 23d. — Busy coaling ship until noon, when we cast off from 
the coaling wharf and returned to our anchorage in Batavia Bay. 

Jan. 24th. — Sent in the boats to-day and finished getting in 
stores. These should have been aboard a week ago and we at sea. 
Our captain returned to-day much improved in health by his trip 
into the country. 

Jan. 25th-26th. — The usual routine on these two days. The 
French mail steamer arrived to-day with letters for the Hartford 
and Wyoming, but none for the Wachusett. It seems that fate in 
regard to our mail is still against us. 

Jan. 27th. — At last finished up all business with Batavia, and 
being ready for sea we got up steam at 1 p. m., and at five o'clock 
in the afternoon we got under way and steamed out of the harbor, 
bound for Hong Kong; but I think that the Captain will stop at 
some of the islands between this and China. All the officers appear 
to be glad that we have at last left Batavia, for it is a very poor 
place to be at. 

Jan. 28th (Sunday). — Steaming all day across the Java Sea, the 
water as smooth as a mill pond. At 2 p. m. sighted land ahead, 
and at eight o'clock in the evening we anchored in the mouth of 
the straits off the island of Billiton in order to wait for daylight, 
it being dangerous to run through the straits at night on account 
of so many coral reefs and shoals. 

Jan. 29th. — At daylight we got under way, and, favored with fine 
weather and a smooth sea, steamed on our course, running through 
the Gasper Strait along the coast of Billiton Island, with numerous 
small islands around us. At 2 p. m. we cleared the straits, and for 
the first time the Wachusett entered the China Sea, whither she has 
been bound ever since the first of last March. We are now running 
for the coast of Borneo. 



168 CRUISING IN THE EAST INDIES 

Jan. 31st. — Steaming all day along the coast of Borneo with 
several small islands in sight and near us. To-night we are running 
through the Api Passage on the northwest coast of Borneo. Sea 
perfectly smooth, it being calm and very hot all day. 

Feb. 1st. — While we were steaming along the northwest coast 
of Borneo to-day with a perfectly smooth sea, I saw something on 
the horizon which appeared like a wreck of some kind. We ran 
down to it, and, lowering a cutter, examined it. It proved to be a 
detached portion of a " floating island" which must have floated 
out from a near-by river. 

Feb. 2d. — Although we are still steaming along the coast of 
Borneo, we were for the most part of the time to-day out of sight 
of land. There was a large number of water snakes near the ship 
all day, varying in size from one to six or eight feet in length. 

Feb. 4th (Sunday). — At daylight we were off the island of Labuan, 
another English possession, and, the Captain wishing to see it, we 
stopped the engines and remained there two or three hours. At 
eight o'clock this evening we are only twenty-eight miles from 
Ambong, Borneo. 

Feb. 5th. — At midnight last night, having run up our distance, 
we came to anchor off the entrance to the harbor of Ambong to 
wait for daylight. At 8 a. m. we got under way and steamed into 
Ambong Bay and came to anchor at the upper end. 

The object of this expedition was to meet a Yankee by the name 
of Moses, who, so it was reported at Batavia, had been acknowledged 
by the Sultan of Borneo and had received a grant of land in this 
region with the title of " Rajah of Ambong." If this had been the 
case it might have been of some benefit to the United States later 
on. It was the Captain's intention to come in and communicate 
with the Mr. Moses and report fully to the Secretary of the Navy. 
But it will be impossible now to do this, simply because there is 
no Moses here and we could not find a single native we could com- 
municate with. 

The bay is a beautiful roadstead, having a good anchorage, with 
plenty of water for the ships. We could see nothing from the ship 
except wild vegetation and very thick forests close to the water, 
with no signs of life anywhere about. 

After having been anchored a short time, a single canoe with nine 
natives in it pulled out from the shore and came alongside. They 
showed great curiosity as to who and what we were, but we could 



IN THE PALAWAN PASSAGE 169 

not understand a word they said, so after looking at the ship out- 
side and in they quietly left and returned to the shore, apparently 
satisfied. 

The natives here look like the natives of Java and are in rather 
a wild state. Any European is perfectly safe, so long as he faces 
them, but allow them to get behind you and they will murder you 
for the sake of your clothing; so that with these cowardly natives 
one must be armed and on his guard while on shore. 

Several of our officers went on shore, and after great difficulty 
succeeded in landing and finding a sort of a footpath through 
the forest of palms and cocoanuts, etc., and after a time found the 
village of Ambong. This is a native village of about fifty small 
bamboo huts, the inhabitants being in very primitive costume. 
From the anchorage the only object of interest is a high mountain 
which towers almost fourteen thousand feet above the level of the sea. 

As the object of this expedition has not been accomplished, I 
think that we will now go to Manila, on the island of Luzon. 

Feb. 6th. — At eight o'clock we fired a couple of heavy guns (for 
moral effect on the natives) and, getting under way, steamed out 
of the harbor to sea, bound for Manila via the Palawan passage. 
The northeast monsoon was blowing very fresh all day, so that we 
made little progress against it. 

Feb. 7th. — The northeast monsoon blowing very fresh and dead 
ahead. Unfortunately we are burning only ten tons of coal a day, 
so we are not making much progress on our course. The island 
of Balabec is in sight. 

Feb. 8th. — We are steaming up the Palawan Passage, but are 
making little headway, as the monsoon and a considerable sea are 
against us. We are four hundred miles from Manila, and have only 
sixty tons of coal on board to make that distance. It begins to 
look like the old Montevideo scrape of last June, when we were 
compelled to put into St. Catharine for relief. 

Feb. 9th. — Having the monsoon and a heavy sea against us all 
day, we made very little progress through the Palawan Passage. 
This evening we had a very heavy rain squall with increased wind. 

Feb. 10th. — Wind and sea still against us and we are making 
little progress. We were obliged to stop the engines for a couple 
of hours to make repairs and when we did start up again we were 
obliged to run slower. 

Philip's Journal continued in Chapter XIX 



CHAPTER XVIII 



PHILIP AS AN IDEAL OFFICER 

Captain Daniel Delekanty, U. S. N. (Retired) 

IT has been my honor and pleasure to have served 
twice under Rear-Admiral John W. Philip, while 
he was in the grade of Captain; each time as his 
executive officer: in the Independence and in the Texas. 
In my long and close relationship with him in the Inde- 
pendence I learned to know him, to love and honor him 
officially and socially, and I longed to serve under him 
again in a sea-going ship. 

In the light of the events which followed I recall with 
especial gratification that it was through my earnest 
solicitation that he applied for the command of the Texas. 
He was at that time, 1897, pleasantly located in the 
Boston Navy Yard as Captain of the Yard. The Texas 
had just arrived to participate in the centennial celebra- 
tion of the launching of the Constitution, and a change 
in the commanding officer was to be made. I sent a 
note to Captain Philip inviting him to come on board 
the following day and he came, accompanied by Mrs. 
Philip. 

The Texas was then known as a "hoodoo" ship, but 
most of the officers who served in her held a far different 
opinion of her, and it was my task to prove to him that 
her reputation could be retrieved. The following even- 
ing I dined with the Captain in his home, when we renewed 
our discussion of the subject, and he finally concluded to 



HOW THE " TEXAS" REDEEMED HER NAME 171 

make application to the Navy Department for the duty, 
to which the Department promptly and favorably re- 
sponded. This was fortunate for all concerned, our 
country, our Navy, and especially so for the fame of Cap- 
tain Philip, which now illuminates the history of our 
glorious navy. 

We all know how nobly the old Texas redeemed her 
name under him. It was once a by-word of derision, but 
now, both in and out of the navy, it is mentioned only with 
respect and admiration. 

Such an achievement brings honor and reputation to a 
man only within the Navy, for it cannot be fully appre- 
ciated or discerned by the layman. The transition is 
brought about quietly, almost imperceptibly, and the 
secret of accomplishing it lies altogether in the command- 
ing officer being in complete correspondence with his 
environment. He must know his officers and crew, and 
to win their respect he must be just and honorable and 
fearless, and he must infuse into them his own spirit and 
a pride and glory in the ship, that she may become not 
only the peer of any of her class but just a peg the superior. 
In order to command the confidence of those under him 
he must be, first of all, a seaman — there is a sharp dis- 
tinction between a seaman and a sailor; everybody on 
board is a sailor, down to the cooks and coal heavers. 
Captain John W. Philip was a seaman in the best sense 
of the word. He possessed all the qualifications of a true 
naval officer, and his presence was felt and reflected in the 
high efficiency of the ships he commanded. 

Every officer who has ever served under him I am 
sure will freely testify to the pleasure and professional 
profit it was to do duty with him ; the same may be said 
of every member of his ship's company, from the highest 
to the lowest. He was at all times most courteous and 



172 PHILIP AS AN IDEAL OFFICER 

considerate of those about him, always regardful of their 
personal comfort and contentment. He inspired not only 
the love but the respect of all his subordinates, for while 
he was gentle and most unassuming, he was at the same 
time a strict disciplinarian. He was always sa}dng kindly 
things, but when the necessity arose he could administer 
a rebuke that would leave a lasting impression and in a 
way wholly unique, leaving absolutely no irritation, but 
a feeling that the offender was guilty, without any pallia- 
tion of his guilt. I cannot better illustrate his way of 
doing it than to relate an instance which I had from his 
own lips. 

While in command of a ship, he had as his executive 
an able and popular officer, who was prone, however, 
to assume authority and responsibilities which belonged 
not to him but to the commanding officer. This officer 
had offended in this way on several occasions, which 
Captain Philip allowed to pass apparently unnoticed. 
Finally he said to him one day: "Mr. Blank, will you let 
me see your orders to this ship?" " Certainly, Captain, 
do you mean the Navy Department's order to me to 
report here for duty?" "Yes." Mr. Blank went below 
for his orders and brought them to the Captain, who pre- 
tended to read them very carefully, and handing them 
back, said: "I thought I was right; you were ordered 
to this ship as executive officer, and that I was the only one 
ordered to command." It is needless to say that this 
reproof was not lost on Mr. Blank, and I can add that it 
increased his respect and affection for his Captain, for he 
was an officer who would not have brooked an attempt 
on the part of his subordinates to assume authority 
superior to his own, yet he probably would not have had 
the nice tact to correct the offence in such a way. 

A prominent trait of the Admiral's character was his 



philip's tact 173 

keen sense of humor, many anecdotes of which are very 
familiar to the service. 

Speaking to me one day last spring, of the annoyance 
to which a commandant of a Navy Yard is subject, he 
said: "I had a delegation of women from some society 
in Brooklyn call on me this afternoon in relation to the 
condition of the Navy Yard sidewalks. One of the party 
said, ' Now, Admiral, we have called to see if you cannot 
keep the sidewalks in better condition, and not so lum- 
bered up as to compel visitors to walk in the streets. We 
are going to Washington and will see the Secretary of 
the Navy about it unless you correct the evil.' I said, 
'Now, ladies, please step to the window and you will see 
one, two. three, four buildings being erected. We are 
anxious to have them finished and so are the contractors, 
and they have brought all their material here and have 
piled it up on the sidewalks instead of blocking the streets. 
I rather think they showed more consideration for horses 
and trucks than they did for visitors, and you may tell 
that to the Secretary and say to him if he will order it to 
be done I will have all the stuff removed and deposited 
in the Brooklyn streets. This will teach these contractors 
a lesson they will be apt to remember. ' ' It was hardly 
possible to have reproved more gently these meddlesome 
women. 

The Admiral did not marry until late in life. Some- 
where in the '8Q's he was in command of the Ranger, 
surveying the coast of Lower California, with head- 
quarters at San Francisco. Most of the Ranger's officers 
were married men, who had their wives and families in 
San Francisco, and every time the Ranger went to that 
port all of these officers who were not required by the 
regulations to remain on board, would stand ready at 
the gangway to go ashore — dressed in their civilian's 



174 PHILIP AS AN IDEAL OFFICER 

clothes — very quickly after the ship had come to anchor. 

On one of these occasions Captain Philip was walking 
the quarter-deck with the officer of the deck, and as a 
boatload of officers pushed off from the ship he remarked 
to his companion, " It spoils an officer of the navy when 
he gets married." It happened that on this visit of the 
ship, which was one of some duration, the Captain met 
his fate and promptly went over to the army of Bene- 
dicts. 

On the next visit of the ship to this port the Captain 
was one of the eager group to get ashore as soon as the 
anchor was down. It happened that the officer of the 
deck was the same one to whom he had made this obser- 
vation on the former visit, and as the Captain passed 
over the side and reached the gangway ladder he turned 
and saw the officer with a broad smile. Philip instantly 
recalled the incident, stepped back on the deck, and 
whispered in this officer's ear, "I haven't changed my 
opinion." 



CHAPTER XIX 

WHERE DEWEY WON FAME 

philip's journal of a cruise 
(Continued from Chapter XVII) 

Feb. 11th (Sunday). — The monsoon was blowing fresh all day. 
We are steaming past the island of Mindora close to the land. It 
being quite clear this forenoon, we saw Mindora at a distance of 
ninety-seven sea miles. 

To-night we had the pleasure of seeing the eruption of two 
volcanoes on the island of Luzon, distant about one hundred and 
eighty miles from the ship — and that over the island of Mindora. 
They being so far off we were not able to see them as distinctly as 
some of us desired; yet we could distinctly trace the lava running 
down the side of the mountain into the sea; also the two craters. 

Feb. 12th. — During the night, as we were steaming along the 
coast northward, we saw four other volcanoes, all active. The six 
different ones presented a fine and grand appearance from the 
ship. 

At daylight we were off some small islands to the south of Manila 
Bay. Got up steam under both boilers and started ahead with 
" full power " in order to make the best of daylight. At four o 'clock 
we passed the island of Corregidor at the entrance of Manila Bay 
and steamed up for the anchorage off the city. At dark we came 
to anchor about four miles from Manila to wait for daylight in order 
to pick out a good anchorage nearer the city. 

Three volcanoes in sight to-night to the south and east. 

Feb. 13th. — At 9 a. m. we got under way and steamed up to the 
city and moored ship as near in as possible. After being visited 
by the authorities, we saluted the Spanish flag with twenty-one guns 
and their admiral with thirteen, both salutes being duly returned. 
The United States Consul, a Mr. Pearson of Albany, visited the 
ship and was received with the usual salute of seven guns. We 



176 WHERE DEWEY WON FAME 

found only a few vessels in the harbor, three of the finest ones being 
Yankee merchantmen; no foreign men-of-war. 

Feb. 18th (Sunday). — Went on shore to-day and went all over 
the city, and returned to the ship with a very poor opinion of 
Manila. The city is on the banks of the river Pasig and is built 
on the segment of a circle between the river and the sea. Its 
suburbs extend over numerous islets formed by the Pasig and its 
branches, and are reached in all parts by either carriages or boats; 
but the former method of conveyance is the most aristocratic. 
Behind the city are extensive plains which rise into hills and finally 
into mountains several thousand feet high. 

On the north side of the river is the suburb in which are the 
residences of all Europeans and is by far the most aristocratic part. 
The aspect of the whole is decidedly Spanish and Oriental. Long 
lines of batteries, sombre churches and ungainly towers with narrow, 
dirty streets meet the eye everywhere. In the suburbs are light, 
airy cottages, raised on posts to permit the free passage of waters 
in the rainy season; and they are so constructed as to be very 
elastic so as to withstand the shock of earthquakes, to which Manila 
is subject at intervals. 

The streets generally are straight and unpaved, with bridges 
across the river at intervals. The bridge that crosses the river in 
the Binondo district comes on a street called the Escolta, which 
street is lined with numberless bamboo shops and stalls where a 
foreigner is able to find anything. The street is crowded with a 
motley population of all races, Chinese, Portuguese, Indians and 
half-breeds. 

The public buildings are the palaces of the Governor and Bishop, 
the cathedral, town houses, churches of different denominations, 
monasteries, convents, arsenal, prisons and cigar factories, etc. 
There are several squares, the largest, the Prado, having a bronze 
statue of Charles IV. 

Manila, like many of these Oriental cities, is fast going to the 
dogs. It is admirably fitted by nature for trade and if it were not 
for her people and government it would shortly be one of the first 
cities in the East as far as trade, etc., is concerned. Her chief 
manufactures are Manila cordage, cigars, cheroots and the beautiful 
fabrics called pinas, woven from the fibers of the pineapple leaf 
and afterward beautifully embroidered, which bring a very high 
price in the market. 



AT BAYONET POINT 177 

The city has been destroyed several times by earthquakes, the 
last being on June 3, 1863, which laid most of the city in ruins and 
killed nearly five thousand people, i.e., including Chinese. 

It now being Lent the city is unusually dull and stupid, the cele- 
brated "Manila cock-fighting" being the only amusement the 
people have. I am tired of Manila already and hope that the ship 
may never be ordered here again — at least not until our supply of 
cigars and cheeroots gives out, and then only for a very short time. 

Feb. 19th. — The American merchant ship Enoch Train of Boston 
came in and anchored. 

Went on shore to-day and visited the cigar and pinas factories, 
and over the city generally. We had an Indian driver and I have 
never had such a hard time " to get through a place " as we had in 
making this Indian understand what we wanted. But on the 
whole it caused a great deal of amusement for us and we enjoyed 
it — much to the confusion of the poor driver. Saw nothing more 
of interest but the common everyday life in Manila. 

Very large fire occurred in one of the suburbs, burning down 
about eight hundred bamboo huts. 

Feb. 20th. — Went on shore in the morning for a walk. Although 
it was exceedingly hot we walked over nearly all of the city. Being 
in plain citizen's clothing we found it to be an advantage whenever 
we desired to purchase anything. But we were unable to enter a 
great many public places without passes where our uniforms would 
have been the cause of receiving some attention and politeness on 
the part of the Spaniards. 

One place we were put out at the point of the bayonet, we not 
choosing to take an order from a stupid negro. 

Feb. 25th (Sunday). — After the usual Sunday services I went 
ashore and drove all over the city and in the evening we drove 
out to the parade ground and heard the band play from 7 to 9 p. m. 
Everybody here who can raise money enough to buy a carriage and 
a pair of horses does so, and every evening they drive out until 
about ten o'clock. Consequently all foreigners on visiting this 
place for a short time get carriages and drive out on the fashionable 
roads and will there meet all the society of Manila — which now, in 
Lent, is all the amusement we can find. 

Feb. 27th. — Busy to-day in making preparations for sea. 
Bent all sail and unmoored ship and at eight o'clock got up steam 
under the starboard boiler; the Captain returning to the ship last 



178 WHERE DEWEY WON FAME 

night. Went on shore this evening for the last time and drove all 
over the city and out through its suburbs. Had a very pleasant 
time, although we saw nothing of interest. 

Feb. 28th. — At daylight this morning we got under way and 
steamed out of the bay bound for Hong Kong. It seems almost 
impossible that we are at last on the home stretch of our passage; 
especially after being almost a year in getting thus far. We have 
two Americans on board as passengers for Hong Kong, they being 
connected with an American trading firm in Manila. 

Steaming slowly to the north under one boiler, we having broken 
one of the cranks of the forward engine nearly off, so that it is 
deemed unsafe to use full power on the engines. This may be the 
cause of sending the ship back to the United States shortly after 
our arrival on the station. 

Mar. 4th (Sunday). — We are steaming in slowly for the land, the 
Captain not wishing to anchor in port until to-morrow. 

In the straits we met a large number of Chinese junks, all armed, 
one of them carrying six long 32-pounders. They are all undoubt- 
edly pirates, when the favorable opportunity arrives for them to 
plunder unarmed merchantmen or smaller junks; but with men-of- 
war they are harmless traders or fishing vessels. 

Mar. 5th. — At daylight we got under way and steamed up to 
Hong Kong and anchored off the city. After being visited by the 
proper authorities we saluted the English flag with twenty-one guns. 

One year ago to-day we sailed from Boston for this place and it 
is quite a coincidence that being one year on the way that we 
should finally anchor on the same day that we sailed. During that 
time we have sailed 22,484 sea miles (knots) and have been at sea 
one hundred and seventy days and in port one hundred and ninety- 
five clays, and during the whole of that time none of the officers 
ever received a letter or a word of news from home. Consequently 
when we anchored a very large mail came on board with good and 
bad news for us, which we of course were anxious to hear. There- 
fore, we have spent most of the time on board in reading and 
re-reading letters. 

We found the Hartford at anchor here. We also heard strong 
rumors of a positive war between the United States and England 
and France. So far as the United States are concerned, I hope it 
will be deferred until our political and economic matters are more 
settled at home, but the navy is ready for it now. 



A LITTLE PARTY 77 IN THE HARTFORD 179 

Mar. 6th. — Raining hard all day, making everything very dis- 
agreeable on board. Busy all day in getting our reports, surveys, 
requisitions, etc., for the Admiral. Sent an officer over to Macao 
to find a missing mail for this ship. Mr. Pegram (ensign) resigned 
to-day. By this the service loses a fine and excellent officer and the 
officers of this ship lose a good messmate and an agreeable com- 
panion and gentleman. We are all exceedingly sorry to have him 
leave us. 

Mar. 9th. — It was a little pleasanter to-day, so that we had the 
usual routine of exercises, etc., but still it was very disagreeable 
and quite cold. In the afternoon the Hartford's officers gave a 
little party for the reunion of all Americans in Hong Kong, both 
ashore and afloat. 

Mar. 10th. — Made all preparations for coaling ship and after 
being "out of order" nearly all day we finally concluded not to 
coal until Monday (March 12th). While in this state the English 
Admiral and General, with their staffs, visited the ship. We were 
very sorry that they should have found the Wachusett in the con- 
dition she was in. 

Mar. 11th. — The mail steamer from the south arrived to-day 
bringing us threatening news about war between the United 
States and France over the Mexico expedition. 

(Philip's Journal Continued in Chapter XXI) 



CHAPTER XX 

A NOTE OF TRIUMPH IN HIS LIFE 

Hon. Henry Brown Floyd Macfarland 
(President Board of Commissioners, District of Columbia.) 

I FIRST saw Admiral Philip on the day of the Dewey 
naval parade at New York. I had a note of intro- 
duction to him, and with his customary whole- 
hearted hospitality he invited my wife and me to accom- 
pany him in his navy-yard boat, at the head of the yacht 
division of the marine procession. I was more gratified 
by this opportunity to be with him than by anything 
else in that interesting day. 

The high spiritual character of Admiral Philip made 
him seem to me greater than any of our other naval and 
military heroes since Admiral Farragut, and I had looked 
forward to meeting him with the most pleasurable 
anticipations. He did not disappoint them. On the 
contrary, he surpassed them. From the moment he re- 
ceived us, that bright morning, on the porch of the beau- 
tiful old house of the Commandant of the Brooklyn Navy 
Yard, until he set us ashore at the Battery in the evening, 
we saw him constantly. 

His modesty, simplicity and courtesy were apparent 
in the first half -hour. Later on we saw also the acuteness 
of his mind, the keenness of his sense of humor, the quaint- 
ness of his speech and his abounding good spirits. He 
was literally the life of the large party on the boat, and 
made everybody feel thoroughly at home. We were all 



REGRET FOR HIGGINSON's ILL-LUCK 181 

interested to see how affectionately he was greeted by all 
the officers of his own time, from Admiral Dewey down, 
and how popular he evidently was with the men in the 
Texas, and the other seamen who saw him that day. 

At times things did not go right in the procession. 
There were some annoying delays, but nothing seemed to 
ruffle his good temper, and his thoughtfulness for others 
was constantly apparent. Naturally, he had to hear a 
good deal of praise for his noble conduct during and after 
the battle of Santiago, and this seemed to be the only 
thing that made him impatient, although he was not 
displeased, but rather like an unspoiled child who does 
not care to listen to what seems to him unnecessary talk 
about his doings. He evaded efforts to make him talk 
about the subject himself, although he was very frank 
and exceedingly interesting when talking about the battle 
of Santiago generally, and the naval campaign that led 
up to it, and very emphatic in his praise of Admiral 
Sampson's management of the blockade and preparation 
for the battle. 

The thing that sticks specially in my mind is his strong 
expression of regret that Captain Higginson of the Massa- 
chusetts, after waiting so long for the battle, and leaving 
to coal at Guantanamo (only under protest and after 
repeated orders) missed being in the fight. 

The next day we saw Admiral Philip again riding in the 
procession, and brought an expression of mingled em- 
barrassment and amusement to his face by cheering him 
by name, with the hearty assistance of all the other people 
on the stand as soon as they knew who he was. 

Our mutual interest in the Young Men's Christian 
Association, which furnished an agreeable topic in our 
conversation, brought us together again in a visit to the 
Naval Academy at Annapolis that I shall never forget. 



182 A NOTE OF TRIUMPH IN HIS LIFE 

The Young Men's Christian Association of the Naval 
Academy invited Admiral Philip to address its members 
and the other naval cadets. Admiral Philip suggested 
that I should be invited to speak at the same time, since 
he would only make a brief address, and I was surprised 
to receive an invitation from the Association with his 
request that I accept it. Fortunately, I was able to go, 
and I shall never cease to be grateful for the opportunity 
of speaking with him to that audience. 

The train arrangements made it necessary for us to be 
in Annapolis Saturday evening, and I met Admiral 
Philip again; first at the cadets' hop, which fell on that 
night, where he was naturally the observed of all observ- 
ers, and received admiring attentions. He was just the 
same as when we had seen him in New York, and made 
similar impressions. He confided to me that he wished 
he could go away without making a speech to the "young 
midshipmen," as he called them, but that he had come 
because he felt he ought to come to encourage them to 
build up an association as large as that at West Point, 
and did not see how he could get out of it. But he was 
calm and cheerful, and seemed to enjoy himself as much 
as the youngest cadet in the hall. 

We saw him at chapel the next morning, and accom- 
panied him and Mrs. Philip to the house of the Com- 
mandant of Cadets, where he met a number of naval 
officers who were old friends. Half humorously, half 
earnestly, in the intervals of much pleasant conversation, 
he protested that he wished he could see any honorable 
way out of his engagement to speak at the chapel in the 
afternoon. But, of course, as he said, there was none, 
and when the hour came for the meeting of the Association 
he was ready, as he always was when the hour of duty 
struck. 



SPEAKING IN PUBLIC 183 

The announcement that Admiral Philip would speak 
drew an unusual audience. Besides the cadets, who were 
present in large numbers, most of the naval officers and 
their families were present to hear what Admiral Philip 
would say. After Cadet Charles S. Freeman, the fine 
young President of the Association, had concluded the 
opening exercises, he called upon Admiral Philip, who 
had begun to show signs of nervousness, and who said to 
me just before the call came that he would rather face 
cannon than that audience. 

He told me afterward that it was always a severe ordeal 
for him to have to make a speech, however short, in 
public ; but that to speak of his personal religion before 
so many of his old friends and comrades was the most 
trying experience he had ever had, and that fighting in 
battle was much easier work. Nothing showed me the 
fineness and courage of the man better than the way he 
behaved that day. Curiosity, rather than sympathy 
with his position, doubtless animated a number of his 
hearers, and he felt this strongly, together with the shrink- 
ing we all feel from speaking on that theme before our 
professional associates. 

But those who saw him as he stood on the platform 
reading his brief address from typewritten pages, which 
shook silently in his hands, must have been indifferent 
not to love and admire him. He spoke to the cadets, 
primarily, of their duty to God, of the rewards of His 
service and of the advantages of the Association, which 
he urged them to build up; but all that he said made its 
impression, as he intended, doubtless, on the older people 
present. 

When I attended his funeral in that same chapel, only 
a few months later, some of those who heard him speak 
were also present, and I felt that they, like myself, must 



184 A NOTE OF TRIUMPH IN HIS LIFE 

be thinking of him as he had stood there speaking of the 
eternal verities. I am sure that no one who heard him 
that day could forget what he said. After the service 
and the handshaking was over, he was like a boy just out 
of school. He seemed relieved, and glad that he had done 
his duty, and that he would not have to do it in just the 
same way soon again. 

We saw him again at a friend's after dinner that even- 
ing, and the next morning journeyed back with him and 
wife as far as Odenton, where we parted with mutual 
invitations to visit which could never be utilized. 

He refused absolutely to speak for the Young Men's 
Christian Association in Washington, saying that he 
would never dare to lift up his voice in public in the 
national capital, where the President and so many great 
men lived, and where there were so many orators. In- 
deed, he seemed to have a dislike to be seen in Washington 
lest he should be suspected of lobbying, or trying to get 
some advantage in assignments to duty. " I never go to 
Washington," he said, "except on official business that 
calls me there. I never stay over night, if I can help it, 
and I always get out of the city as quickly as I can." 

On the second anniversary of the battle of Santiago 
I made my next visit to Annapolis. This time I met at 
Odenton the car which brought from New York the 
remains of Admiral Philip, accompanied by his family. 
In the company of Secretary Long and a number of 
prominent naval officers, I went with them first to the 
chapelf and then to their last resting place on the crest 
of the beautiful cemetery overlooking the Naval Academy 
grounds. 

It was a sorrowful afternoon, but a note of triumph 
and of abiding joy ran all through it, like the note of 
victory in Chopin's funeral march, so appropriately 



VICTORY IN DEATH 185 

played by the Naval Academy band as the procession 
marched through the grounds from the chapel to the 
grave. To everyone but the members of his family the 
dominant thought seemed to be that this "very perfect, 
gentle knight," having fought a good fight, had finished 
it with joy, and was now wearing a crown of victory, so 
that, for the time being, the sense of loss was subordinate. 



CHAPTER XXI 

VISITING CHINESE PORTS 

philip's journal of a cruise 
(Continued from Chapter XIX) 

Mar. 15th. (Hong Kong) — At 9 a. m. the flagship made signal 
to get under way and follow her motions, which means to go to 
Macao. Stood out of the harbor in the wake of the Hartford. 
Very pleasant all day — in fact, it is the only pleasant day we have 
had since being on the station. We are steaming along under 
" one bell," as we were obliged to keep in the wake of the Hartford — 
"one bell" for the Wachusett being equal to "four bells" in the 
Hartford. In making the passage we brought our compradores 
and bumboatmen with us; the tailors and shoemakers are to 
follow to-morrow. We are at anchor about six miles from Macao, 
so I think that we will visit the shore but little. We found the old 
storeship Relief quietly at anchor where she has been awaiting our 
arrival for about a year. 

Mar. 20th. — I went on shore to-day to see the place and spent 
most of the time in going over the chief objects of interest. Macao 
is built on a small peninsula, separated from the mainland by a 
narrow and low sandy neck. It is the only Portuguese possession 
in the East and it was given to them by the Chinese Emperor in 
1586 for aid rendered the Chinese in suppressing pirates on the 
coast. It contains a population of about fifty thousand, mostly 
Chinese, there being only a few Europeans in the place and they 
are nearly all Portuguese. It is the cleanest place, I think, that 
I have ever visited ; the streets, although most of them are narrow, 
are swept regularly every day by coolies and the rubbish removed. 
But the town being built on different hills it is quite inconvenient 
to go about except in sedan chairs; there being no other cou- 
veyances. The only public buildings are the churches and one or 
two places of Chinese worship, and the tomb of the celebrated 
Camoens. The house and cave in which it is said he wrote are still 
standing and are in a good state of preservation. 



AT MACAO 187 

The traveler is only obliged to give the poor Dago about a 
dollar to gain admittance and to be shown all over the grounds 
and gardens. The present governor of Macao is the best it has 
ever had. He devotes his whole time to improving the place in 
every respect; but because he does not return as much money 
to Portugal as his predecessors did (instead of making the great 
improvements in the city) the Government has recalled him and 
will send some one who will make a better balance sheet for Por- 
tugal. 

The chief trade in this place is in coolies. The United States 
has a storehouse here on shore for the East India Squadron. We 
are anchored so far from the town, for the want of water, and it 
takes so long to go in our "fast boat," pulled by Chinese women, 
that very few of the officers leave the ship. We do not use any 
of the ship's boats here, but hire a Chinese sampan, which is called a 
"fast boat," on account, I suppose, of being so very slow. We 
use it for everything connected with the ship. 

Mar. 22d. — Busy all day painting the ship inboard. To get 
some of the men out of the way I sent fifty of the crew on liberty 
to Macao, but the old Portuguese Governor, being afraid that they 
would "take the place," requested that we would not allow them 
to remain on shore over night. But his request came too late; 
consequently our boys "have charge of Macao for this evening." 

Mar. 25th (Sunday). — Raining and blowing hard all day, so that 
the usual Sunday routine could not be carried out. To-day, 
although being very disagreeable on board, we had the greatest 
treat of the cruise in the shape of a genuine Yankee apple, a barrel 
of which had just arrived from Boston, and had been sent to us 
by a gentleman from Hong Kong. 

Mar. 28th. — At one o'clock in the afternoon the Admiral, very 
unexpectedly, came on board and held a general and thorough 
inspection of the ship as to her efficiency. As we did not expect 
him, nearly all the officers and a large number of the men were on 
shore. Of the officers only the Captain, myself and an ensign 
were on board, while fourteen officers were on shore, so that we 
were little prepared for the ordeal. 

The Admiral was on board four hours and a half inspecting and 
exercising us, and considering the circumstances in which he caught 
us, we passed a very creditable inspection and I think that he left 
us well pleased. [Evidently the Admiral was well pleased with 



188 VISITING CHINESE PORTS 

Philip, for shortly afterward he ordered him to the Hartford as 
executive officer. — E. S. M.] These are unnecessary annoyances 
which we are obliged to witness twice a year, if in company with 
the flagship, and which the Admiral delights in inflicting. 

Mar. 30th. — It being Good Friday the Portuguese are having a 
jolly time of it ashore. All the foreign ships in the roads wear 
their flags at half-mast (except the Yankees) and a Portuguese 
man-of-war had her yards cock-billed in addition. 

April 1st (Sunday). — At one o'clock in the afternoon I went on 
shore, and walked about all the principal parts of the city and 
through the grounds of the celebrated Camoens. We went in the 
little house where, 'tis said, he wrote most of his famous writings. 
We also visited his tomb, which is a little grotto. The house and 
grounds, although extensive and must have been beautiful in 
time past, are now in a sad state of ruin, and it seems a pity that 
the Portuguese authorities should allow them to be so neglected. 

April 2d. — At five o'clock, when the White Cloud came up from 
Hong Kong, she signaled that she had a mail for the fleet. Sent a 
boat and received a very large mail for the ship, with dates up to 
January 20th. But I did not receive any letters, and am conse- 
quently very much disappointed this evening, as I have not heard 
from home since the first of last October. 

April 3d. — At 6 a. m. the flagship made signal to get under way, 
take the Relief in tow and follow her motions. After a little 
trouble we got the Relief fast and steamed out of Macao roads for 
the Canton river. After getting well in the river we cast off our 
tow and the Hartford and Wachusett steamed ahead, leaving the old 
storeship to make the best of her way up the river under canvas, 
the wind being favorable for sailing. We had a very pleasant day 
in which to make the run and saw a great many objects of interest 
along the banks of the river. After reaching Whampoa the 
Hartford came to anchor, there not being enough water to ascend 
higher up the river. But we steamed ahead and at 4 p. m. came to 
anchor off the city of Canton. 

After leaving Whampoa we had some little difficulty in keeping 
in mid channel and steering clear of the junks and sampans, the 
river being almost covered with them; but having two excellent 
Chinese pilots on board we finally got through. In the evening 
we had a pleasant and amusing visit from our Consul, Mr. Oliver 
H. Perry, son of old Commodore Oliver H. Perry. 




A Deity Philip disapproved of. 



A PLEASANT VISIT TO CANTON 189 

April 4th. — Quite pleasant to-day, so that we had an excellent 
chance to exercise the crew and to black the ship outside. Most 
of the officers deserted the ship to-day after muster to visit Canton . 
It is said that the floating population amounts to upward of eight 
hundred thousand, and judging from appearances it must exceed 
that number, for the water is almost covered with craft of all sorts, 
sizes and descriptions and each boat had from two to fifty people 
on board. 

We had two Chinese boats to wait on the wardroom officers — 
pulled by women. 

April 5th. — To-day has been one of the pleasantest we have had 
since our arrival on the China coast. At sunset the Admiral came 
up from Whampoa and will remain in the Wachusett for a couple 
of days. We hoisted his flag to the mizzen. 

April 6th. — After exercises, as many as possible of the wardroom 
officers went on shore to see Canton. After landing we hired the 
best guides and went all over the city in sedan chairs. We visited 
the Canton gardens, temples, joss-houses, pagodas, places of 
execution and torture and all the curiosity shops and a great many 
stores of different varieties. One temple contained five hundred 
gods and idols of all descriptions and sizes. The Canton pagoda 
is over thirteen hundred years old. 

It was quite amusing as we rode along in our sedan chairs, single 
file through the different narrow streets, to see the Chinamen stop 
and make remarks, such as "foreign devils," etc. And then the 
small boys would run away to get out of the "foreign devil's" way 
and not be harmed. Most of the streets are very narrow, not over 
four feet wide, and are very dirty, especially through the market 
districts. 

We carefully examined the cat, dog and rat markets and saw 
Chinamen eating of each; but although we generally try every- 
thing wherever we go, we have not yet been long enough in China 
to fall in with John's favorite dish. 

Although they call us "foreign devils," yet they are willing 
enough to take our money and they do charge us most unreason- 
ably for everything that we desired to purchase. Our collection of 
curiosities will be rather small on this account. 

April 9th. — Raining furiously all day. At 11 a. m. the English 
consul called upon the Admiral, and upon leaving we saluted him 
with seven guns. 



190 VISITING CHINESE PORTS 

At 2 p. m. the Chinese Governor-General and suite visited the 
ship. Saluted him with thirty-four guns. As he is the viceroy of 
this province and has power of life and death over thirty-one million 
Chinese, he is considered as "one possessed of authority," and 
consequently he came in great state. Although there were ten 
high Chinese officials with him, none of them could take a seat at 
the same table, and it thus fell to our lot to entertain these ten 
dignitaries in the wardroom. After getting them below and 
filling them up with bonbons, wine, etc., we had quite a jolly time 
with them. 

On account of the rain we could not show them much of the ship, 
but what little they did see they seemed very much pleased with — 
and astonished at some things. 

April 12th. — Busy all the morning as senior member of a court 
martial to try ten men for leaving the ship without permission. 

In the afternoon went on shore on the Honam side of the river 
and went through the temple. Although it covers more ground 
than any temple in China, yet in the interior it resembles all the 
others that we have visited, being filled with images of their 
different gods. The principal object of interest is to look at their 
holy pigs, which are kept with care in one part of the temple and are 
worshiped by the poorer people. 

April 14th. — Spent most of the day with several American 
friends on a picnic in the Canton gardens; had a jolly time of it. 
In the evening received orders from the Admiral to return to 
Hong Kong immediately. 

April 15th. (Sunday) — After church service, which was conducted 
by the Rev. Mr. Grey, an English missionary, we got under way 
and steamed down the river in charge of a pilot. At 3 p. m. we 
anchored at Whampoa and immediately sent boats to the Relief 
for provisions. After filling up with stores, we again stood down 
the river until it was too dark to run any longer, so we anchored 
for the night. 

We are all sorry to leave Canton, for we had just got fairly 
acquainted and begun to enjoy our visit very much. We had 
anticipated a long stay in the river, but troubles are arising on the 
northern coast and we are obliged to go there to protect American 
interests. 

April 16th. — At daylight this morning we got under way and 
steamed down to Hong Kong and anchored near the Hartford. 



SUDDEN KECALL TO HONG KONG 191 

Our Captain went on board and received orders to get ready for 
sea immediately. It seems that there is some trouble up the coast 
at New Chang and we go there to protect the interests of American 
residents. 

April 17th. — Busy coaling ship, taking in stores and provisions, 
and in getting everything ready for sea. Ensign William C. Wise 
[now Rear-Admiral] was detached from the flagship and ordered 
to the Wachusett to take the place of Mr. Pegram. 

April 18th. — During the forenoon we were busy settling up 
different reports with the flagship. At 1 p. m. the Admiral made 
signal for us to get under way and proceed to sea — which order, of 
course, was carried out. 

April 19th. — Blowing hard from the northeast all day, consider- 
able sea, steaming ahead to it, but making little progress and bad 
weather at it. 

At eight o'clock as I had the deck, the cry of "Man overboard!" 
was passed along the deck. We stopped the engines immediately 
and as he drifted by the ship we hove a grating overboard for him 
to cling to. We then lowered the whale boat at great risk of life 
and sent her in charge of an officer, but before she could reach the 
spot the man sank beneath the waves never to rise again. I re- 
called the boat alongside, but in trying to hoist her up she got 
adrift and we were obliged to send a cutter with thirteen men and 
an officer for her. 

They had advanced but a short distance from the ship when she 
was capsized and left them all struggling in the water. We were 
then obliged to lower another cutter to rescue the first boat's crew. 
After a great deal of trouble and danger the third officer detailed 
succeeded in rescuing his shipmates and bringing them alongside 
of the ship. The Wachusett was rolling frightfully all the time, 
and while trying to hoist and secure the two cutters they were 
both stove in alongside, and it was blowing so hard that we con- 
sidered it too hazardous to attempt to save the whale boat. 

So we left the whaleboat on the sea, thereby losing one boat and 
the equipment of three. The man we lost was one of the best 
hands aboard, being captain of the forecastle. He was washed 
overboard by a heavy sea while in the performance of his duty. 
At 11 a. m. we steamed on our course again, but the remainder 
of the day has been rather gloomy and sad on board. 

April 20th. — Quite pleasant all day, sea very smooth, steaming 



192 VISITING CHINESE PORTS 

to the north along the coast of China, land in sight all day. Passed 
the entrance of Amoy harbor about sunset. Most of our officers 
are on the sick list and there is only one master and myself to stand 
watch and do duty on board. 

April 21st. — Blowing quite hard from the north-northeast all day, 
with a heavy head sea setting in from the north. Steaming along 
the coast but making very little progress. Cleared the Formosa 
channel and are in hopes of better weather soon. 

April 22d (Sunday). — Last night, in the mid watch, it being very 
dark, we ran over a Chinese junk. Stopped the engines imme- 
diately and sent a boat to their assistance, but there being another 
junk near at hand they would not receive assistance from us, so 
we stood on to the north again. 

She was a large junk carrying six guns. Afterward we came 
to the conclusion that she was a pirate, and, mistaking the Wachu- 
sett for a merchantman, had stolen up on us in the dark with the 
intention of capturing us. We could not tell how many of the 
rascals were lost. The principal damage to the ship was the loss 
of our head booms. 

April 24th. — Steaming all night along the islands to the south of 
the Yangtse river, occasionally firing a gun and sending up rockets 
in hopes of getting a pilot. At 8 a. m. the pilot came aboard and I 
turned the ship over to him. We steamed up the river at full 
speed, but we were beaten by two English mail steamers, much to 
our chagrin. At 1 p. m. we turned off into the Woosung river and 
arrived at Shanghai at three o'clock and anchored off the American 
concession. Visited by officers from foreign men of war and from 
the Wyoming. 

April 25th. — At 1 p. m. the Consul-General, a Mr. Seward, made 
an official visit to the ship, we saluting him with nine guns. . I 
spent the afternoon on the race course, it being the spring meeting 
of the Shanghai races. Although the weather was threatening 
the grounds were filled with European gentlemen and ladies, 
nearly all of them having their betting books out for bets. The 
English ladies seemed to be as enthusiastic about it as any gentle- 
man present. On the whole the races passed off very well. 

(Philip's Journal of a Cruise Continued in Chapter XXIII) 



CHAPTER XXII 

PHILIP AND THE NAVAL Y. M. C. A. 

Robert Edward Steele, late Chaplain U. S. N. 

I FIRST met Admiral Philip in his cabin in the Texas, 
just after the war and before his promotion to the 
rank of commodore. Mr. W. B. Millar, who as Secre- 
tary of the International Committee of the Y. M. C. A. had 
directed the remarkable campaign of that organization 
for both soldiers and sailors in the war with Spain, was 
with me. A meeting had been planned at which this 
undertaking was to be reviewed. General O. O. Howard, 
U. S. A., who had served under the banner of the Cross 
during the war, was to tell of his experiences in the camp 
and on the quarter-deck, and others were to tell of the 
work in the Army and Navy. 

It was important that prominent men from both 
services should be present, and we felt that the man 
whose noble words and deeds had thrilled the Christian 
public after the battle of Santiago, was the man we 
needed from the Navy. The meeting was to be held in 
the beautiful suburban residence of one of the philan- 
thropic millionaires of New York, and a number of wealthy 
people, well able to aid in the prosecution of the work, 
had been invited. 

Philip dreaded nothing so much as public notice and 
notoriety. His nature was so well-balanced that he could 
afford to shrink from public praise, being well content 
with the approval of his own conscience. When he learned 



194 PHILIP AND THE NAVAL Y. M. C. A. 

that his presence at the meeting would be used as an 
attraction to draw together the people whom it was de- 
sired to reach, he positively refused to go. We outlined 
to him the plan we had in mind for the establishment of 
the Naval Y. M. C. A., and on which I was then working 
under orders of the Navy Department. As we pictured 
to him the possibilities of such an organization for good 
to the enlisted men of the service, his face lighted up 
with interest, and he began to ask questions which showed 
that he had made a deep and conscientious study of their 
needs. When we again pressed our request for his 
attendance, and suggested that to help us in the matter 
was a duty he owed the men, he responded at once: "I 
will go. I will do my duty, no matter how unpleasant it 
may be." 

This was the beginning of his connection with the great 
work which is destined to keep his memory ever fresh 
in the hearts of the enlisted men of the Navy. Not very 
long after this, he was asked to become a member of the 
International Committee of Young Men's Christian Asso- 
ciations, and chairman of its Naval Sub-Committee. 
To this he also gave a ready affirmative, as soon as he 
realized that his reputation and popularity would aid the 
cause of the men whom he loved. 

This was in the closing days of 1898. Admiral Bunce, 
Commandant of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, was to be re- 
tired on Christmas Day, he being sixty-two years old on 
that day. He had heartily endorsed the Y. M. C. A. in 
the initial stages of its work, and it was a matter of serious 
import to the new enterprise, which was still in an embryo 
state, that his successor should be a man who would take 
interest in it. While there were several officers of suffi- 
cient rank to warrant their choice for this place, in whom 
we had every confidence, and of whose interest we were 



"CALLED^ TO THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD 195 

well assured, Commodore Philip was naturally the most 
desirable because of his relationship to the Committee. 

We were not disposed to use political or other influence 
with the Washington authorities, and felt sure that the 
Divine care, so manifest up to that point in the enterprise, 
would be exercised in this matter also. It was made the 
subject of earnest prayer that God would give us Com- 
modore Philip as Commandant of the Navy Yard. At 
one time it seemed as if the whole movement hinged upon 
his coming. He was then in command of the North 
Atlantic Squadron at Havana. He did not want to come 
to New York. His preference was the Navy Yard at 
Boston. Prominent citizens of that city were asking 
for his assignment there and he himself was asking it also. 
Men of the greatest political influence added their powerful 
voices to his, and personally waited upon the Secretary 
of the Navy in his behalf. In spite of all this he was 
sent to New York. Afterward he saw the hand of God 
in the matter and rejoiced in it. 

He plunged at once into the work of the Association. 
As soon as he had taken command, he began to exercise 
his influence in its behalf. His name was one with which 
to conjure in the Navy. Every one, high and low, knew 
" Jack " Philip, and any scheme in which he was interested 
was bound to win support in the service. Modest and 
retiring as he was by nature, he never hesitated to per- 
form the most unpleasant tasks in behalf of the Y. M. C. A. 

One day, in December, 1898, I saw him at his lodging 
in Brooklyn (he had not moved into the Navy Yard at 
the time), and laid before him our great need of money 
if we were to go on with our enterprise, suggesting that 
if he would see some of the prominent wealthy men of 
the city, we might get what we needed. He had never 
done such a thing in his life as to solicit funds from a 



196 PHILIP AND THE NAVAL Y. M. C. A. 

stranger for any purpose, and no task more distasteful 
or humiliating could have been imposed upon a naval 
officer. Every instinct of professional and personal 
pride was opposed to it, yet he did not hesitate when 
he realized the necessity of the case. He agreed to go 
with me on the following morning to call on the Hon. 
Seth Low, whose well-known generosity gave promise 
of success, and who had given practical evidence of his 
interest in naval seamen by generous gifts to a coffee 
house he had helped to found for them several years 
ago. 

Promptly on the stroke of ten we met at the New York 
entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge, and took the elevated 
for Morningside Heights. We saw the President in his 
office at the University and without any hesitancy he 
gave us a generous gift toward our funds — the first con- 
tribution of consequence received for the new movement. 
There was something characteristic of the two men in 
this incident — one generous and patriotic, and the other 
conscientious and unshrinking in the performance of 
duty. As I write, incident after incident crowds to my 
memory of those days of small beginnings, and my 
heart is sad to think that the "Greatheart" of the Navy 
is no longer with us to bear our burdens and cheer our 
often faltering steps. 

When we were planning the next step, after securing 
the funds necessary to make the start, the question of a 
building came up. Again the Commodore gave his per- 
sonal attention to it and together we searched the neigh- 
borhood of the Navy Yard. The suitable buildings were 
very few, and at last narrowed down to two — one on the 
corner of Sands and Adams Streets, and the other on the 
corner of Sands and Charles Streets. The clear-sighted- 
ness of the Commodore selected the latter, which was the 




Barrett Philip, eldest son of Admiral Philip. 



HIS DEMOCRACY 197 

smaller of the two. He said: "It is better to crowd a 
small building than to half fill a large one." 

When, after some delays and much hard work, the 
time had come for the formal opening, on February 27th, 
again it was the Commodore's hand which put the 
finishing touches to every detail. The Navy Yard Band 
was present by his direction, and invitations were issued 
by him to all the Navy people of the station, and to 
many prominent citizens. The opening was a great 
success, and set the keynote for the marvelous progress 
of the movement. All the afternoon a string of people 
passed through the rooms, admiring their neatness and 
adaptability to the needs of the men. The Commodore 
and Mrs. Philip helped to receive them. 

But at night, when about fifty of the sailors and marines 
took possession for the first time of their new quarters, 
it was Commodore Philip whose presence added most to 
their attractiveness. Secure in his high rank and having 
to the full that respect which is based on worth rather 
than rank, it was easy for him to be natural in his cor- 
diality toward them. They loved him then, but I ven- 
ture the assertion that it was not with the depth of affec- 
tion which developed later as they saw the outgrowth 
of his interest in them. 

After the building was open, and the men began to 
use it freely and in considerable numbers, it was his 
pleasure to come up on Sunday afternoons and sit in the 
parlor smoking a cigar (after passing around a handful 
to the men), and glancing over the papers. This was 
done to show them his personal interest in them and the 
movement. 

One day an old sailor attached to the Vermont at the 
Nav}^ Yard, told me of a difficulty he and other men 
attached to that vessel, found in getting aboard late at 



198 PHILIP AND THE NAVAL Y. M. C. A. 

night. It was a rule of the Yard that enlisted men could 
not go alone through the Navy Yard after nine o'clock. 
They must be accompanied either by an officer or by a 
marine of the Guard. As the reliefs were posted every 
two hours, it was the rule to compel men to wait for the 
next relief before going down. A man reaching the gate 
at five minutes past nine could not go down until eleven. 
Or if it were a minute or two after eleven, he must wait 
till 1 a. m. The result of this rule was that men arriving 
a little late, went into the numerous saloons at the en- 
trance and often became intoxicated — sometimes break- 
ing their liberty in consequence. As soon as the Com- 
modore learned of this, he changed the rule and ordered 
that they should be allowed to go down every hour. 

Perhaps the hardest task he ever undertook for the 
men was to ask Miss Gould for the money with which 
to erect the new Naval Branch which has now been built . 
He felt it to be his duty. He had thought the matter 
over in all its bearings, and finally he determined to take 
up his cross and ask for it himself. This was indeed a 
hard thing for him to do, for he knew how much Miss 
Gould was annoyed by constant appeals for money. Yet 
he felt that if she understood the great need of the work 
she would be willing to give the funds necessary. Sweetly 
and generously this noble woman gave her assent to 
his proposition and the result is manifest to all the 
world. 

The men loved Philip because he loved them. When 
he died a deep sense of personal loss fell on us all. " Our 
Admiral is dead," said one fine old man of war's man to me. 
He had served under him on the Texas, and felt his death 
as a blow to himself. No one in civil life knows the depth 
of affection which exists between the truly noble com- 
mander and his crew. They enshrine him in the most 



"the men LOVED PHILIP" 199 

sacred chambers of their hearts, and love him as a 
brother. 

Admiral Philip was such a man. He never said an 
unkind word, nor did an unkind act. In his discipline 
he was strict, but not in trifles. He could speak sternly 
and to the point if need be, but the need rarely arose 
with him. Men served him faithfully because of personal 
attachment, rather than from fear of his wrath. God 
makes few men like Admiral John W. Philip. 



CHAPTER XXIII 

CAPTURE OF CHINESE OUTLAWS 

AMONG the "lesser" exploits that brighten the 
pages of American naval history must be added 
the heretofore neglected expedition led by the 
then Lieutenant John W. Philip, which landed at mid- 
night in a populous Chinese city, marched through sev- 
eral miles of narrow, winding streets and country roads, 
surrounded the headquarters of a notorious gang of 
"swordracks," or outlaws, took their citadel by storm, 
captured the entire band with their leader and his two 
sons, and returned on board ship without the loss of a 
man. The enterprise was daringly conceived, skilfully led 
and was completely successful because of its very audacity. 
Just before the Wachusett arrived on the Asiatic sta- 
tion, a band of Chinese outlaws had for some time been 
terrorizing the country around New Chang, openly defy- 
ing the authorities and boldly challenging them to "come 
and take us." Encouraged by their immunity from 
punishment, they finally made a deadly assault on a party 
of Americans, among whom was our consul to that port, 
Mr. Knight. As soon as Admiral Bell learned of these 
atrocities he dispatched Commander Townsend in the 
Wachusett, post haste, to the scene of trouble, with in- 
structions to take prompt action in bringing the offenders 
to justice in whatsoever manner the local situation 
seemed to justify. How well these instructions were 
carried out is told in Philip's diary. 



OFF ON A MISSION OF VENGEANCE 201 

Philip's journal of a cruise 
{Continued from Chapter XXI) 

April 28th (Shanghai). — Finished coaling and made preparations 
for getting under way. In the evening visited the Royal Sussex 
[Masonic] Lodge. Had an exceedingly pleasant time. 

April 29th. — Got up steam and unmoored ship, making final 
preparations for leaving Shanghai. Several Americans came on 
board to see us off, having made several acquaintances during our 
short stay. We are sorry to leave so soon. At 2.20 p. m. got under 
way and steamed down the Woosung and Yangtse-Kiang in fine 
style (and at a high rate of speed) with flags at each masthead, 
we having dressed ship to-day by request of the Russian admiral 
in honor of the anniversary of the Russian Emperor's birthday 
and the emancipation of serfs in Russia. After getting well down 
the river and out of sight of the shipping we hauled down all the 
colors and put the sea " rig " on the Wachusett, bound for a cruise 
to the north. 

April 30th. — Fine weather and a perfectly smooth sea. Passed 
through several fleets of Chinese fishing junks. Entered the Yellow 
Sea this evening. 

May 1st. — Unusually pleasant all day, steaming northward under 
low head of steam. 

May 2d. — A very heavy dust fog to-day so that you could not 
see land at a distance of four miles. To-night we are running in 
for the Straits of Pechili, getting an occasional cast of the lead for 
greater security. 

May 3d. — Steaming up the Gulf of Pechili close in to land. At 
eight o'clock took a pilot for the bar and at 10.30 came to anchor 
to await daylight to cross the bar at the mouth of the river. 

May 4th. — At nine o'clock got under way and steamed over the 
bar and up the river to Yingtsze, and at noon we anchored off the 
town abreast of the foreign concession and communicated with our 
Consul, Mr. Knight. The town is purely Chinese and is miserably 
barren and dirty. It appears that there is a band of " swordracks " 
or robbers, ranging over the country here at large, and lately they 
have attackd and murdered some American citizens and the Ad- 
miral sent the Wachusett up in haste for satisfaction. 

May 5th. — We heard to-day that the "swordracks," or robbers, 
have taken possession of some towns to the north, and are daily 



202 CAPTURE OF CHINESE OUTLAWS 

expected here. But I think they will not attempt it while we are 
at anchor off the town. All the Europeans are drilling and making 
themselves as secure as possible under the direction of the British 
Consul, Mr. Meadows. 

May 6th. — To-day we got ready to land one hundred men to go 
on shore to arrest some Chinamen; but after being ready to start 
the expedition was delayed for some reason on the part of our 
Consul. 

May 7th. — At three o'clock we landed fifty armed sailors and 
then went up to the Consulate. Here Captain Townsend, our 
Consul, and I mounted on horseback and marched off to pay an 
official visit on the mandarin here, taking the sailors along as an 
armed escort. The object of the visit was to demand satisfaction 
of the Chinese authorities for outrages perpetrated upon Amerioan 
citizens lately. We were received in great state by the chief 
mandarin and everything passed off quite to our satisfaction. 
This town had never seen such a "turn out" before in its quiet 
streets, consequently we collected an immense crowd which fol- 
lowed us all the time while on shore. They all seemed to be anx- 
ious to examine everything about and belonging to us. The 
Governor invited us to join him in "chow-chow," but the nature 
of our visit would not allow us to partake of his hospitality. 

May 8th. — Raining hard all day. No one could go on shore 
because, in the first place, this town is one of the poorest places on 
earth for a foreigner and then the mud is frightful — that of Virginia 
cannot compare with this. 

May 9th. — At 11 a. m. we were all surprised by a small fall of 
snow, which in this latitude and this season of the year is considered 
very extraordinary. 

Still patiently awaiting news from the mandarins. 

May 10th. — Spent the evening with the Commissioner of Imperial 
Customs, meeting several English gentlemen of standing here. 

May 11th. — We were able to carry out the routine on board 
to-day, but I think that we had the heaviest "dust storm" that I 
have ever experienced. The atmosphere was completely filled 
with fine yellow dust, so thick that the sun was almost entirely 
obscured. 

May 12th. — It was so pleasant to-day that I sent all of the men 
on shore for exercise and target practice with small arms. 

May 13th (Sunday). — Went on shore for the purpose of purchas- 



ON THE SCENE OF TROUBLE 203 

ing some furs, etc., but it was so warm and dusty that I soon re- 
turned to the ship, with only a tiger and a few other skins. 

At 4 p. m. the chief Chinese official, Cheung, visited the ship 
accompanied by his suite of fifteen Chinamen and the Commissioner 
of Customs and our Consul, Mr. Knight. Gave him a salute of five 
guns. After showing him all over the ship we fired a couple of 
shells from the 100-pounder rifles, which surprised and pleased him 
very much ; he never having seen so large a gun and one that would 
fire so far. He appeared to be very curious and asked about every, 
thing, and on the whole seemed to enjoy himself and is willing 
now to try and expedite matters to our Captain's satisfaction so 
that we can return to the south again. This is the largest man-of- 
war (and the first American one) to visit Yingtsze. 

May 14th. — Blowing almost a gale of wind to-day, with a very 
heavy spring tide in the river running about six knots. At 3 p. m. 
the dingey was capsized astern of our ship and the boat-keeper 
drowned. The officer of the deck sent a cutter and ten men to 
tow the dingey back to this ship. After being away for some time 
I took the second cutter with sixteen men and pulled up the river 
for the other boats; they being then about six miles from the ship 
and unarmed. After a great deal of trouble and work I managed 
to get back to the ship, when the tide turned, with all of the boats. 
I have never experienced such rough work on a river before — 
twenty-five miles from the sea ! 

May 15th. — Quite pleasant to-day. I sent all of the men on 
shore to be instructed in company drill, and exercise a little at 
target practice. We are still waiting for the Commissioner to 
settle up these difficulties with the American Consul. 

May 16th. — Making preparations for going down to the bar in 
order to survey it and buoy out the channel as an accommodation 
to an Englishman on shore, and a means of saving money to a few 
elose-fisted Dutchmen who will not hereafter employ pilots to take 
their brigs and barks over the bar. If Americans would ever 
derive any benefit from this work I would help with a will. But 
as it is, I have to do all the work (for English and Dutchmen), I 
heartily disapprove of it and consider it a small business for an 
American man-of-war to be engaged in. 

May 17th. — At 3.30 a. m. we got under way and steamed down 
the river in charge of a pilot and anchored just inside of the bar in 
order that we can carry out the survey with greater facility. 



204 CAPTURE OF CHINESE OUTLAWS 

Spent all day in " getting ready " to " commence work " and drawing 
out plans, etc. 

May 18th. — Raining and blowing quite fresh all day, with every 
indication of still worse weather. Unable to do anything on the 
survey to-day, as the arrangements for completing the survey had 
not all been made by the parties in Yingtsze before our leaving that 
place, the Captain concluded to return; so at 2 p. m. we got under 
way and steamed up the river again and moored ship off the United 
States Consulate at 4 p. m. to remain here idle for some days longer. 

May 19th. — Blowing a gale of wind all day, and as nothing was 
done toward the business for which we were sent here this may be 
considered a day lost. There was much grief in the ship to-day 
by the accidental shooting of old Jacko while engaged in some 
innocent mischief. He was a large baboon which I got at the 
Cape de Verdes and had become a favorite fore and aft. Every- 
body was sorry that he was killed after being with us so long. 

May 20th (Sunday). — This morning we had three visitors at 
service, Dr. and Mrs. Watson. A very thick dust storm all day, 
completely covering everything with fine dust. 

May 21st. — Busy all day in placing anchors and buoys on board 
a junk, preparatory to placing them on the bar for our "friends/' 
Wind dust storm again to-day. 

May 22d. — Finished all the preparations for the survey to-day as 
far as junks, anchors and buoys are concerned; and now we wait 
for the Captain to go down to the bar again, finish up and leave 
this port for the south. We are anxious now to get down in order 
to meet the Admiral and go over to Japan with him for the summer. 
All are heartily sick of the port of Yingtsze. 

May 23d. — Quite pleasant to-day, so that we "fell in" to our 
usual routine of exercises again. The pilot came on board in the 
morning to take us down the river, but the Captain concluded that 
we would wait a little longer. I went on shore in the morning for a 
ride, but Yingtsze is such a miserable place that it was impossible 
for us to find horses, so we returned to the ship again still more 
disgusted. 

May 24th. — In the morning I took the rifle howitzer and crew on 
shore for target practice. After drilling a little and drawing a 
crowd of Chinese spectators we went off in search of a suitable 
place for the target, but our search was unsuccessful, there not 
being sufficient room for the rifle shells. 



A THANKLESS TASK 205 

This afternoon we were fortunate enough to secure some saddle 
horses and started for the country. We went out about twelve 
miles, through several Chinese villages, stopping at all places of 
interest on the way. The country back of Yingtsze is one vast 
plain, as far as the eye can see, mostly under cultivation of beans 
and millet, which are the only articles of commerce or trade be- 
tween this and other ports to the south and that is the business 
in which all foreign merchants are engaged in. 

May 25th. — Made preparations for going down to the bar at last. 
At 1 p. m. got under way with two largo junks in tow, with the 
buoys on board, and steamed down the river in charge of a pilot. 
We anchored just inside of the bar. Sent out one of the cutters 
and determined the position of one buoy. 

May 26th. — Busy all day in sounding inside of the bar with the 
cutters. As the sea was quite smooth the work progressed rapidly 
and the "deep hole" was plotted out. The crew was engaged in 
scrubbing some of the Yingtsze mud off the ship's side. 

May 27th (Sunday). — Blowing very fresh from the southwest 
so we were unable to work at the buoys or the survey. As our sur- 
geon was absent at Yingtsze attending to the sick, our Captain 
read the service. 

May 28th. — It blew a gale of wind last night and we had to get 
up steam in order to hold our position. We tried to plant a buoy, 
but owing to the tide and wind the junks were unmanageable. 

May 29th. — We had fine target practice with the great guns this 
morning, although it was the first time that we have had a regular 
exercise since being in commission. The men did splendid firing, 
to the credit of the ship. In the afternoon we placed one of the 
buoys, which finishes up the work inside of the bar, and we will go 
outside at three o'clock to-morrow morning — weather permitting. 

May 30th. — At three o'clock this morning I called all hands to 
unmoor ship, but having great difficulty in unmooring and in getting 
under way the tide fell so much that we did not have enough water 
for crossing and so had to wait for the afternoon tide. Meantime 
we surveyed the river above our anchorage. At 3 p. m. we got 
under way with a junk in tow, but it was blowing so fresh and having 
quite a sea on we were in danger of towing the junk under, so we 
cast her off and came to anchor to await fair weather. I am heartily 
sick of this kind of work. 

May 31st. — Busy surveying all the morning. At 4 p. m. we got 



206 CAPTURE OF CHINESE OUTLAWS 

under way, crossed the bar and anchored just outside, in order to 
place the entrance buoys and finish up out-work preparatory to 
returning to Shanghai. 

June 1st. — Placed the entrance buoys, thus finishing up the work 
outside. To-morrow we will finish up everything inside and then 
I hope we will leave for the south again. 

June 2d. — At 7 a. m. we recrossed the bar and anchored just 
inside. In the afternoon we steamed up the river and anchored 
off our Consulate to await further action in reference to our diffi- 
culties with the " swordracks," or bandits. 

June 3d (Sunday). — To-day there was a "paper chase" on shore, 
got up for the occasion. Some of our officers went on shore to 
witness it. 

June 4th. — Pleasant to-day, except for having a "dust storm" 
with a light wind. Went on shore in the morning, got a couple of 
horses and rode about twelve miles into the country ; having quite 
a jolly time — considering the place. 

June 5th. — The Chinese authorities have at last commenced to 
take notice of the object of our visit here, and are making the neces- 
sary arrests. 

June 6th. — Raining hard all day and very raw and cold. It 
seemed quite desolate on board, giving us the blues and increasing 
our dislike for Yingtsze. Captain Townsend went on shore to try 
and hurry up the Chinese, but did not meet with much success; 
for it seems that they wish about two weeks longer in which 
to make the necessary arrests. 

The "swordracks" have posted a placard in the town in which 
they give notice that next winter they will murder all the foreign- 
ers here, provided that those of their number now under arrest are 
executed on our demand. As this river is closed with ice in the 
winter (like our Hudson) I would not be surprised if they attempted 
to carry out their threat; because they are very bitter and there 
are only about sixty foreigners, all told, here and they will be 
unprotected. 

June 7th. — In the afternoon Captain Townsend went on shore 
and had an interview with the Chinese General commanding this 
department, in regard to the arrests of some of the " swordracks " 
on shore. The old chap made all sorts of promises to Captain 
Townsend, but I doubt whether he will carry them into execution 
until he is forced to do so by the Wachusett^ I do not believ 



PREPARING FOR SERIOUS WORK 207 

humbug any longer about it, but would compel them to act with a 
force from the ship if necessary to accomplish the desired result. 
The Chinese are notorious in postponing everything relative to 
foreigners (except their own acts against foreigners) as long as 
they possibly can. And for one I would try and "put a stopper" 
to it. 

June 8th. — At 4 p. m. the Chinese Commissioners from New 
Chang and Moukden made an official visit to the ship. They are 
sent to Yingtsze to inquire into this affair, but instead of coming 
forward and doing their duty they are frying to shirk out of it 
and bluff us off. But Captain Townsend is determined and will 
make hot work for them if they delay much longer. We showed 
them around the ship but extended to them no hospitality of any 
sort, because the Chinese have an idea that when a foreigner is 
polite or entertains in any manner on these occasions, that he is 
giving in to the Chinamen and is rather afraid of them. In such 
cases you are obliged to show more rudeness than is agreeable 
to an American. 

June 9th. — In the morning I went on shore and had a target 
practice with rifles with a couple of officers. In the afternoon we 
got horses and rode out into the country. After getting well out 
we dismounted and practiced with revolvers to our satisfaction 
and amusement, and much to the astonishment of the Chinamen, 
who began to assemble around at the first shot. Then we drove 
through villages and into yards and had a jolly time. Did not 
return until 9 p. m. 

June 11th. — Went on shore with the boat howitzer to practice 
a little, but after firing a few rifle shell and endangering a few China- 
men and junks on the river I concluded that it was unsafe and 
returned to the ship. In the afternoon I went on shore with an 
officer and practiced a little with a rifle and a revolver. I have 
come to the conclusion that this is the only way to pass the time 
here. 

In regard to our difficulty with the swordracks, Captain Town- 
send has given the Chinese authorities just four days' grace in 
which to arrest those outlaws. At the end of that time he will take 
matters in his own hands. 

June 12th. — Passed the forenoon in letting the men practice at a 
target with rifles, preparatory to going on shore. The leader of the 
"swordracks," a Chinaman named Hon, has given us to understand 



208 CAPTURE OF CHINESE OUTLAWS 

that he does not intend to run away, and that he will not surrender 
when we come on shore for his precious person. On the contrary, 
he invites us to come and try to arrest him. We intend to go, 
provided the present plan is not changed in a few days. 

June 13th. — Most of us remained on board all day as it had rained 
all night so that the mud on shore was almost knee deep. But with 
some officers there is nothing that can keep them on board ship in 
port, except duty or an order for them to remain. 

June 14th. — In the afternoon Captain Townsend went on shore 
to have another interview with the Chinese authorities. I suppose 
it was satisfactory to all parties, as they were closely closeted for 
about three hours. But whether it will amount to anything or not 
remains to be seen. The Chinese are so slippery that they will bear 
a great deal of watching. 

June 15th. — This afternoon the English gunboat Weasel arrived 
from the south. Sent an officer aboard with the usual compliments. 
We are in hopes that she will remain here for some time and let us 
depart from this wretched place. 

June 16th. — Blowing very hard all day with an unusually heavy 
"dust storm" which is peculiar to Yingtsze. With these storms 
it is almost impossible to do anything in the cleaning line. All the 
foreigners on shore protect their eyes with veils or goggles, when 
they leave their houses. 

June 17th (Sunday). — In the afternoon I went on shore in plain 
clothes and with our Consul went down to examine a little around 
the house of the "swordrack," Hon. In case we go on shore with an 
armed party in a few nights I wanted to look at the ground by day- 
light first. These swordracks looked at us sharply, but did not 
attempt to interfere with us. Cheung, the chief mandarin here, 
sent to Captain Townsend and myself some samples of choice 
Chinese wine — according to their tastes. It is considered a great 
luxury at their courts, but it is disagreeable to us. I intended to 
take it home with me if possible, for it will be quite a curiosity 
there, coming from this part of China and I am in hopes that it will 
improve by age and a long passage at sea. 

June 18th. — As we are in the way of being "very obliging to 
outsiders'! we sent a large working party on shore to paint and 
whitewash the United States Consul's buildings and his fences. 
I don't think anybody would be as "obliging" to us if we wanted 
anything of the like done for us. In the afternoon Cheung, the 



TRIAL OF THE PRISONERS 209 

chief mandarin, visited the ship and Captain Townsend enter- 
tained him very handsomely. We even sent all hands to quarters 
and exercised the guns for his amusement. The old fellow was 
very much pleased with his visit. 

June 19th. — A "dust storm" raged over the ship this afternoon 
covering everything with fine dust. Yingtsze can boast of the 
" finest " dust I have ever seen. 

June 20th. — At four o'clock in the afternoon we landed a large 
detachment of men, and I went with the Consul down to the chief 
magistrate's residence and there met all the Chinese officials of 
Yingtsze and the commissioners sent here by the Tartar general. 
They have arrested eight of the " swordracks " who made the assault 
on the Consul and he went down to identify them while I accom- 
panied him with our men as a protection from further assaults. 

We were received in some state by the mandarins and after the 
usual greetings, etc., the criminals were brought in before us, 
heavily chained. After bowing and kissing the ground in front, 
they were allowed to rise partially, when each was recognized by 
Mr. Knight, our Consul, and his cooly, as being the party that had 
committed the deadly assault on him. They were then returned 
to the jail and we returned to our ship to await their trial, which 
begins on Monday next. 

In marching back to our ship, the streets and a number of the 
housetops were crowded with Chinamen eager to see the "foreign 
white devils." Of course we were prepared with loaded rifles and 
sword bayonets for them in case of any unusual demonstration 
hostile to us. The whole proceeding, after reaching the magis- 
trate's office, was novel and amusing to me; that is, as far as seeing 
how the Chinese carry on their legal proceedings. 

June 21st. — We were blessed again to-day with another Yingtsze 
dust storm, covering as usual everything on board. Our captain 
had another long interview with the Chinese authorities at the 
Consul's. I suppose it was satisfactory, as it lasted more than four 
hours. 

June 22d. — This morning I sent everybody on shore except a few 
ship-keepers and had a long exercise at company and howitzer 
drill — preparatory to any trouble we might soon have with the 
Chinese. The men did remarkably well, considering what little 
experience they have had on shore. I left the howitzer in one of 
the Consul's go-downs in order to have it handy — if necessary. 



210 CAPTURE OF CHINESE OUTLAWS 

June 23d. — Another dust storm to-day, varied with a stronger 
wind than usual. In the afternoon I went on shore and rode 
through the town and took a good look at some of the quarters 
of the " swordracks." We heard a rumor to-day that Hon, the 
leader of the "swordracks," whom we intended to arrest to-morrow 
night, has escaped into the country. If so we will not have any 
particular fuss over this coming midnight expedition. 

June 24th (Sunday). — Captain Townsend in the afternoon went 
on shore and had another interview with the Chinese authorities 
at our consulate. What it amounted to I don't know. It had 
been our plan to land a large force at midnight, and arrest some 
"swordracks," including Hon, but as we gave the Chinese authorities 
four days in which to make the arrests (instead of doing it our- 
selves) the outlaws seem to have received warning, and as a rational 
consequence Hon and his gang of thieves have left the place and 
retired into the interior, where they are safe. So much for placing 
too much confidence in a Chinaman's word. I would not trust 
one out of my sight. 

June 25th. — At midnight last we landed one hundred armed 
men and I went with them (in charge) to try and find Hon and his 
associates — for we did not believe in the rumors that they had fled. 
After marching a long distance, piloted by our Consul, we reached 
Hon's house, and immediately posted sentries around and on top 
of it and then demanded admittance. Not receiving it in the 
usual manner I ordered the doors to be broken open, a search made 
and the arrest of all the male occupants. 

After going through five or six houses in this manner I arrested 
twenty-three Chinamen and secured a large quantity of Chinese 
firearms of all assortments. As Hon's premises had been thor- 
oughly overhauled I concluded to return to the ship and see what 
Chinamen I had caught. We got back about eight o'clock in the 
morning and to the gratification of us all we found out that the 
"birds had not flown," but, on the contrary, I had secured the 
principal nest of "swordracks" in the place, with the notorious Hon 
and his two sons. 

The authorities had given it out that the outlaws had escaped, 
but the truth was that the mandarins dared not arrest any of the 
leaders — not being able to keep them — and consequently they wished 
to be " out of it." But now the gang is safe in double irons aboard 
the Wachusett. They would have fought and offered resistance, 



A MIDNIGHT ASSAULT 211 

had they not been taken completely by surprise a little after mid- 
night, as they were well prepared for a good defence. 

At ten o'clock we landed one hundred armed men and the how- 
itzer and marched down to the magistrate's to be present at the 
trial of the eight prisoners whom they had already arrested. After 
arriving and posting sentries around the yard we went in the court 
room and there witnesssed a rather singular trial — peculiarly 
Chinese. Around the table were seated five mandarins of different 
ranks, our Consul, Captain Townsend, two interpreters and our 
officers. After a few preliminaries our Consul's cooly was brought 
in and caused to kneel before the court while being interrogated. 
Then they brought in one of the prisoners and questioned him in 
the same style. They have no witnesses, as we do, but question the 
criminal himself. And if he does not tell the truth they extort it 
from him by means of the most cruel tortures imaginable. We 
witnessed two or three different tortures to make the prisoner say 
(or confess) that he was guilty — as their laws will not allow them 
to punish a man until he confesses that he is guilty. I was dis- 
gusted several times, but I am obliged to see it again to-morrow. 

June 26th. — At ten o'clock in the morning I left the ship with 
twenty-five armed men in order to attend the trial. To-day it 
consisted of cross-examination (in the Chinese style) of the crim- 
inals examined yesterday. It was very tedious to remain there 
all day. There were no tortures to-day and they could not extract 
any fresh evidence from any of the prisoners. The "swordracks" 
we have aboard the Wachusett are perfectly contented with their 
lot, and they really look better and cleaner after their short stay 
with the "Barbarians," as they are pleased to call us. 

June 27th. — At ten o'clock I went down with thirty armed men 
to attend the Chinese court, the business consisting of comparing 
the Chinese with the English records and making them agree. 
They examined the two leaders, who are the Chung brothers, and 
took nearly the whole day in trying by different tortures to make 
these two fellows confess to their guilt. One proceeding rather 
amused me — although it was barbarous. The leading mandarin 
had asked one of these brothers several questions which he would 
not answer to the satisfaction of the court. So the mandairn 
wrote out the evidence as he thought the criminal ought to say and 
then told him to acknowledge it as being correct. On refusing to 
comply with the court's request, they tortured the poor fellow until 



212 CAPTURE OF CHINESE OUTLAWS 

he fainted in the court room and they were obliged to remove him. 
By the Chinese law they cannot punish a person until he confesses 
to everything. If the court thinks the prisoner is telling lies they 
torture him for the truth and if he does not confess his guilt they 
torture him in the most cruel manner. And as soon as he con- 
fesses they behead him — frequently within one hour. I was told 
that the prisoner often dies under his torture rather than confess 
himself guilty. Those, I suppose, are rare cases where the man is 
really innocent of the crime charged. 

June 28th. — Last evening when we left the court the leading two 
prisoners had not confessed as the authorities desired, and as it was 
getting rather late we concluded to return to the ship, and the man- 
darins said they would get the proper confessions to-day and let us 
know. So this afternoon they sent word that the men had volun- 
tarily (tortures) confessed to be leaders in the deadly assault on 
our Consul. So to-morrow we go down again to see the last of it, 
I hope. 

June 29th. — At ten o'clock I went down again to the court with 
thirty armed men to witness the "finish up" of the work on the 
prisoners. The work consisted to-day in reading over the testi- 
mony of each prisoner and having him acknowledge that it was 
correct. As neither of these prisoners could sign his name, the 
court had recourse to a rather ingenious device, namely: they 
would take an impression of the man's forefinger in wax [near the 
place where they wished his signature. Of course the wax was a 
little hot, but then, he had no business to be a criminal and unable 
to write his name. 

I am very glad that the business at last is finished. We have 
now only to dispose of Hon and his gang of robbers. 

June 30th. — At 4 p. m. Cheung and his suite visited the ship. 
The old fellow is very much worried about our arresting those 
"swordracks" on shore, and says that when the Emperor at Peking 
hears of it, he, Cheung, and all the mandarins here will lose their 
positions and perhaps be degraded and ruined for life. The people 
on shore cannot understand how it was possible for us to arrest 
those persons with apparently so little trouble in the "dead of 
night." The moral effect has been wonderful already on the re- 
maining "swordracks" about the place. 

July 1st (Sunday). — In the afternoon four mandarins and suites 
visited the ship on official business in regard to our prisoners, 




Captain Robert Townsend, U.S.N. 



PRISONERS OF WAR 213 

"Chinese subjects." We received them with the usual ceremony 
and gave them in addition a salute of five guns. They are the same 
officials who tried the late "swordracks" and as they behaved so well 
in connection with that trial Captain Townsend gave them the 
salute. They, like old Cheung, are much worried in regard to our 
prisoners and are apparently willing to do anything (in promise) 
if our Captain will not take them up to Peking. 

July 4th. — This, being our national holiday, we tried to celebrate 
it the best we could in this out-of-the-way corner of the world. 
At sunrise we dressed ship with flags and at noon fired a salute of 
twenty-one guns. This being a holiday for the crew as well as the 
officers, every one was allowed to do about as he pleased. 

At seven o'clock in the morning all the mandarins visited the 
ship, accompanied by a large military force and after some talk we 
turned over twenty-one of the "swordracks" to them, keeping only 
old Hon on board. They were all carried off heavily ironed and 
chained — no doubt to be released as soon as we sail, although they 
have given guarantees that they shall be fairly tried and punished. 

July 5th. — In the afternoon our Captain had another interview 
with the mandarins in regard to Hon. I know not what it amounted 
to, although I suspect that it was the same old story told over again. 

July 6th. — Busy getting the ship ready for sea. Another inter- 
view between our Captain and the mandarins about Hon. I expect 
that it amounted to a number of empty promises. 

July 7th. — At daylight we got up steam, unmoored ship and 
made preparations for going to sea. At seven o'clock four man- 
darins came on board for the last time and after some talk we 
turned over old Hon to them and nearly all the arms that we cap- 
tured from "the swordracks." It appears that eight mandarins have 
given sufficient guarantees to our Captain and our Consul in regard 
to protecting the foreign residents in Yingtsze in the future and on 
these conditions Captain Townsend released the "swordracks." 

At nine o'clock, all being settled and the ship ready for sea, we 
got under way and steamed down the river bound to Ta-ku. 

(Philip's Journal Continued in Chapter XXVI) 



CHAPTER XXIV 

RECOLLECTIONS OF A SCHOOL-MATE 

William Myers Hoes, Public Administrator 

WHEN we were school-mates, at the Kinderhook 
Academy, about 1855, "Wood" Philip, as he 
was then known, was such a rollicking, mis- 
chievous, fun-loving, sturdy country boy, that none of 
us would have picked him out as the one among us 
destined for so distinguished a future. There were other 
boys more studious and demure, on whom we counted 
for success. 

The writer sat near him in the school room in the old 
Kinderhook Academy, and shared many of his school- 
day pranks. Our boys ? school-room was on the left hand 
of the main floor, as shown in the cut, which is taken 
from the "Kinderhook Rough Notes," the village paper 
of the period. Moses Bartlett, from New Hampshire, 
was our pedagogue ; and we made his temporary stay at 
Kinderhook, as principal, quite exciting at times. 

"Wood" was then more fond of fun than study, and 
he seemed to be in everybody's "mess" and in nobody's 
"watch." He was in all the deviltry in mild form 
which we indulged in; but I cannot recall that he ever 
met the punishment some of us other boys suffered. 
The chalking of the teacher's rush-bottomed chair, the 
filling of the Academy bell with water on a keen winter's 
night, and standing it up until it froze, and failed to ring 
out the morning summons to school, and the shooting 



philip's love for fair play 215 

of beans from the back of the large hall, on the second 
floor of the Academy, when an "Exhibition" composed 
of ribbon-tied " Compositions' ' and recitations was going 
on, were participated in by this great Admiral of later 
years with the rest of us. But he was cunning, and had 
an honest, sober visage, or could assume one, and was 
rarely accused of wrong-doing. Some of us village boys 
were properly punished by our parents; "Wood" gen- 
erally went unsuspected. He never shirked a respon- 
sibility, however, or failed to see fair play. I recall that 
when certain "City boys" clad in "Glad rags" tried to 
down some little boys from Cuba, "Wood" demanded 
that the Cubans should have a fair show ; and I think the 
little foreigners came out ahead. Thus early was indi- 
cated this noble strain in his character, which developed 
with years into that great human kindness which voiced 
itself in those memorable words uttered on the Texas, 
when his country's enemies were dying in the heat of 
battle. He made you listen to some queer statement, 
then question his sincerity, and then laugh with him. 

His sister, Mrs. Wheelock, in her interesting article, 
mentions his early "fighting proclivities." We had, in 
those days at the old Academy, scholars from distant 
homes, who boarded with the principal, at the Academy 
boarding-house, shown on left of cut. Some of the boys 
from Cuba and South Carolina were quite fiery, and 
carried "chips on their shoulders." Wood quietly en- 
couraged the encounters which took place among the 
boys, taking a hand in them, if necessary ; but he always 
called the game off when matters looked serious; was as 
careful to see fair play between his schoolmates as to 
stand upon his own rights, as he then viewed them. 

Aside from our great Admiral, we had as schoolmates, 
and prospective men of distinction, the Prentices, of 



216 RECOLLECTIONS OF A SCHOOLMATE 

Brooklyn, Henry J. Cullen, afterward a well-known 
attorney and public administrator of Brooklyn, now 
deceased, and his brother, Edgar M. Cullen, now one of 
the judges of the New York Court of Appeals; Father 
Samuel H. Frisbee, S. J., former President of St. Francis 
Xavier College, N. Y., now head of Woodstock College, 
Maryland; Peter Pruyn, afterward a distinguished local 
physician ; Charles F. Fearing, a New York banker, and 
others less prominent; but all afterward doing honor to 
their early training at Kinderhook. 

In those days, "Wood" and the writer were boys of 
about fifteen, were both born in the town, and as I resided 
in the village and had the advantage of a garret (that 
rainy-day revelling place for boys), a barn, a pony, a big 
dog, an orchard and home surroundings, Wood often was 
with me after school hours, on our home grounds. 

My pony having had a circus training, once laid down 
on the village road, with the future Admiral on his back, 
and rolled him off. As "Wood" had often boasted that 
the other boys did not know how to manage the "little 
thing," when he came to grief and the boys and girls 
were standing about jeering at him heartily, he became 
so mad that he kept away from our place for some time. 
My dear old mother, who liked him and gave him " dough- 
nuts " and " crullers," and my father, who quizzed him 
in Holland Dutch, said to me. " Why don't you bring that 
Philip boy home with you oftener? He is real funny." 

"Wood'' left the Academy and his schoolmates in 
1856, for the Navy, and the next year Frisbee entered 
Yale; Pruyn, Union; Fearing, Flarvard; the writer, Wil- 
liams. Not our going, but Time's changes, left the widely 
known Academy with but few scholars. The boarding- 
house was cut apart and now forms three pretty cottages, 
and the old Academy building was occupied as a printing 



philip's generosity 217 

office, and is now a knitting mill. The electric road makes 
Kinderhook a suburb of Albany, and the old Academy 
and its occupants are only dim memories. 

A later incident or two I recall with interest. When 
the "White Squadron (under Admiral Bunce, I think) 
during its first visit, was lying off Fisher's Island, oppo- 
site New London, Conn., ''Wood" was in command of 
the Atlanta. My cousin, Lieut. T. B. M. Mason, was his 
executive officer, and they, with Schley and other officers, 
visited our cottage on the island. I was "Wood's" guest 
on the Atlanta, during the trip via Gardiner's Bay, to 
New York. After our dinner, the first evening in the 
Captain's cabin, I noticed the steward fitting up a com- 
fortable bed on the locker; supposing, of course, it was 
for me. I said: "'Wood' that will do me very nicely 
for the night." Said he: "See here, young fellow, you 
are on nty boat, and obey orders — you take my stateroom, 
or you go below." I obeyed. 

Before the Texas left for the war, I visited her. " Wood " 
showed me all about, introduced me in the turrets to a 
young officer in working rig (Lieut. Haeseler) as the man 
who had contrived the machinery to make the turret 
work rapidly, so that he need not spend days in cutting 
through her deck, as had happened, and said: "I tell you, 
Will, this old ship is called a 'hoodoo,' but you'll hear 
from her yet." 

On his return to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, after the 
war and his brilliant work, I again went on the Texas. 
The dear old boy, aged some, I thought, was sitting upon 
a box before an extemporized desk in his dismantled 
cabin, and as he gripped my hand heartily, he said: 
"Do you remember what I told you about the Texas, 
old man? " We mutually recalled his " hoodoo " remark 
on the same old vessel. 



218 RECOLLECTIONS OF A SCHOOLMATE 

Later on, when we had the pleasure of entertaining 
our distinguished Admiral and his wife, the latter was the 
recipient of a miniature silken flag of the Texas, and the 
hero on that occasion overcame his reserve and worked 
out the Santiago affair on his corner of the dinner table, 
illustrating the manoeuvres of the Texas and other vessels 
with knives and forks, and table equipment, to the in- 
tense delight of our guests, the ladies in particular, who 
said to me: "Isn't your friend, the Admiral, charming, 
as well as brave ?" 

I saw no more of my dear old friend, as distance inter- 
vened, and when he was so suddenly called away I was 
in Europe. 

I am extremely pleased to contribute these few ramb- 
ling recollections of my good and great old friend, " Wood " 
Philip, to this memorial publication. 




Captain John Woodward Philip, U, S. X 
(By Courtesy of (he Century Company.) 



CHAPTER XXV 

IMPROVING THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD 

Rear- Admiral Francis Tiffany Bowles, U. S. Ni 

ADMIRAL PHILIP (then Commodore) took com- 
mand of the Brooklyn Navy Yard January 14, 
1899. At that time many improvements were 
under way, which were begun at the close of the Spanish 
War. In the following month the Steam Engineering 
machine shops burned down. The wreckage from this 
and the materials for the construction of nine new 
buildings gave the Navy Yard streets an appearance of 
considerable disorder. 

In the midst of this the Admiral was visited by a 
delegation of Brooklyn women representing a Village 
Improvement Society, or something similar, to call his 
attention to the awful condition of the Navy Yard. 
They said there was no one in Brooklyn who remembered 
the Navy Yard in such a frightful condition. 

The Admiral took these women to the top of the Com- 
mandant's house, where a bird's-eye view of the Yard 
could be obtained, and explained with care the reason 
for each obstruction in the streets and that great improve- 
ments would soon result. 

This delegation, incidentally however, made a great 
impression on the Admiral, and he devoted thereafter a 
large portion of his time to paving of the streets, the 
piers, the laying out of new railroad tracks, the repair 
and painting of buildings, until there was such a marked 
change within a brief period, that all noted the great 
improvement in the Yard during his command. 



220 IMPROVING THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD 

It is probably true that during the two years following 
the Spanish War more improvements in the plant and 
buildings of the Brooklyn Navy Yard were made than in 
the fifteen years preceding. Although only a small 
part of this can be ascribed to the Brooklyn women 
delegates, still the Admiral kept us all familiar with the 
story in his insistence that the streets be kept clean and 
the work be done in an orderly manner. 

It was always a pleasure to see what simple delight the 
Admiral took in the material advantages of the Com- 
mandant's residence, his barge, carriage, horses and 
menage pertaining to the position, and at the same 
time his determination that they should be shared by 
all the officers and their families. He took a sailor's 
delight in high stepping horses, and soon after he took 
charge selected a stylish pair, which he frequently 
drove. 

On one occasion, in driving over the bridge to New 
York on a Sunday afternoon, a following trolley car 
excited the horses into a brisk trot, which took the 
appearance of an impromptu "brush" with a Rapid 
Transit car. The Admiral was encouraged by cries of 
"Go it, Cap.," from the occupants of the car, and from 
his own account to me things were lively for a few min- 
utes. 

This incident got into the papers, and when the Admiral 
showed me the clippings with various estimates of the 
speed of his pair, he said: "But how the reporters would 
have roasted me if they had known it was Sunday after- 
noon." 

The Admiral took much interest in the preservation of 
Navy Yard relics of former wars, in the small park near 
the Commandant's office, and when it was proposed to 
approach a store-house with a railroad spur running 
through this small triangular space he refused to give 



EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION 221 

the right of way, and carried his protest to the Secretary 
of the Navy. 

One of his first acts was to remove the word " rebel' ' 
from the inscriptions on captured relics of the Civil War, 
saying "there are no rebels now." He had mounted in 
front of the Commandant's Office two Hontoria 5.5-inch 
rifles taken from the wrecks of the Vizcaya and Almi- 
rante Oquendo at Santiago, and also the two Spanish mines 
which were brought up by the screws of the Texas and 
Marblehead at Guantanamo. Several old bronze guns 
from Manila also were mounted on the sites of the racks 
of smooth bore shell, which for a long time had orna- 
mented the lawn in front of the Commandant's residence. 

The large flagstaff now standing in the small park 
opposite the main gate at Sands street was erected by 
Admiral Philip, and first used with much ceremony on 
Decoration Day of 1900, when he began at the Navy 
Yard the regular salute to "the colors," always followed 
on board ship at 8 a. m. and sun-down. 

While Admiral Philip was in command, no officer of 
any grade had need to quake or try to recollect his 
misdeeds on receiving a summons to the Commandant's 
Office, because, no matter what the occasion, he was sure 
of a kindly reception and an opportunity to present his 
case in a frank and friendly talk. 

No dockyard Commandant in my experience ever 
secured such loyal support or such earnest work from 
his subordinates as did Admiral Philip, and he rarely 
gave an order as such, but rather made a suggestion 
which it would please him to have carried out. This 
disposition naturally led his officers to assume responsi- 
bility and to work out for themselves matters which 
by the strict construction of the Regulations might be 
placed upon the shoulders of the Commandant. 



CHAPTER XXVI 

VISITING PORTS ON BUSINESS 
philip's journal of a cruise 
(Continued from Chapter XXIII) 

JULY 8th (Sunday) — We left Yingtsze early yesterday morning 
and stood out into the Yellow Sea. At daylight this morning 
we stood in for the land, and at 11 a. m. we came to anchor 
near where the Great Wall of China runs into the sea. We lowered 
three boats, and Captain Townsend, myself and as many officers as 
could be spared from duty, went on shore to see one of the Seven 
Wonders of the World. We walked on top of the wall to the 
town of Hai-Shan, about five miles inland, examining the wall as 
we went along. Of course, each of us brought away a brick and 
a little "joss" or so as trophies. On returning to the ship we got 
under way and steamed down the coast to Ta-ku. 

July 9th. — Steaming clown the coast until 2 p. m., when we 
anchored off the mouth of the Peiho, where we were boarded by 
boats from the English and French war ships. Our consul, Mr. 
Knight, who had come with us from Yingtsze as a passenger, now 
left us and took passage in an English vessel on his way to Peking, 
where he is to lay the whole matter of the Swordrack disturbance 
before the Emperor. On taking leave of Mr. Knight we again got 
under way and steamed southward for Chefoo, where we are to 
coal and get our mail. 

July 10th. — About sunset we came to anchor in the harbor of 
Chefoo. 

July 11th. — All hands engaged in scraping the ship on the out- 
side, trying to get the Yingtsze mud off her. The American con- 
sul, Mr. Sanford, visited the ship. 

July 12th. — At 3 p. m. we got under way and steamed out of 
the harbor bound to the north, and at 7 p. m. we came to anchor 
off the city of Teng-Chan-Fu. Our consul, Mr. Sanford, came up 



ENTERING A WALLED CITY 223 

with us. We are here to settle a difficulty between some American 
missionaries and the Chinese. It appears that the Chinese have 
been desecrating American graves, tearing down houses and 
declaring that they will not allow " foreign devils " to live in the 
city any longer. As Teng-Ghan-Fu is a port opened by treaty to 
the world we are here to demand satisfaction. 

July 13th. — Sent a boat in to the town and brought off three of 
the missionaries, in order to learn particularly the difficulty between 
them and the Chinese. To-morrow, if it is pleasant, we land one 
hundred armed men. I suppose there will be some excitement, as 
the Wachusett is the second man-of-war that has ever visited this 
port, and will be the first to land armed men in the streets of 
Teng-Chan-Fu. 

July 14th. — Teng-Chan-Fu is an old walled city with several 
gates and very clean (for Chinese) , and everything looked quite 
comfortable. At 11 a. m. we landed one hundred armed men to 
go with Captain Townsend and three missionaries to the residence 
of the chief magistrate. Just before entering the city, the authori- 
ties hung over the gate we passed through, the heads of three 
Chinamen in cages to "awe us." We had been cautioned at 
Chefoo about landing an armed force and consequently were well 
prepared for any assault. We marched through the city followed 
by a large number of Chinese who were anxious to see the " foreign 
devils " as soldiers. We marched up to the magistrate's residence 
and stacked arms in the inner court. After some time we marched 
down to the home of a Mr. Hartwell (a missionary) where we had 
a splendid collation for the sailors. After partaking heartily of it 
we returned to the ship without any special incident. 

July 15th. — Yesterday Captain Townsend demanded of the 
chief magistrate the arrest of certain parties before noon to-day. 
But to-day when the time came we found out that all the man- 
darins had left the city during the night and had gone to Chefoo — 
the responsibility being too great for them. So, there being no 
responsible person left for us to act with, we got under way at 3 
p. m. to go to Chefoo and head these fellows off there, thus 
leaving the poor missionaries for a time to themselves and at the 
mercy of these Chinese. But John Chinaman will have to pay 
dearly for the trick he plays upon us! At sunset anchored in 
the harbor of Chefoo. 

July 16th. — Captain Townsend went ashore and had another 



224 VISITING PORTS ON BUSINESS 

interview with the chief magistrate in regard to the runaway 
officials of Teng-Chan-Fu. 

July 18th. — The missionary affair still remains as we found it. 
I cannot imagine why we delay other proceedings, for the Chinese 
will equivocate and delay it all summer and winter — if we abide 
their time. 

July 19th. — Yesterday I allowed one half the crew to go on 
shore on liberty and this morning the other half went ashore; but, 
getting full of bad " samshoo " they began rioting, so that I was 
obliged to send a marine guard to bring off the leaders for trial by 
court martial. 

July 20th. — We are going to Shanghai for coal and provisions, 
and will then return to this port and settle that missionary affair. 

July 21st. — At 2 p. m. got under way and steamed out to 
sea. 

July 22d (Sunday). — At 3 p. m. one of our sailors was washed 
overboard. We let go the life buoy and stopped the engines. 
Lowered and sent a cutter to his assistance. Although there was 
a heavy sea on we were fortunate in saving the man and getting 
the boat and crew back to the ship. 

July 23d. — Wind gradually died out to-day, but we are still 
making very little headway. We are burning Japan coal, and 
although we use about sixty tons a day, we can scarcely log three 
knots per hour. To-day we are three hundred and thirteen miles 
from Shanghai, and have only fifty-seven tons of this miserable 
stuff aboard to carry us to port. It begins to look like the affair 
off the coast of Brazil last year; only on this occasion we have a 
little more provisions aboard. 

July 24th. — Nearly calm to-day, so that we made a little more on 
our course; but still it looks doubtful, for unless we get a fair 
wind it will be impossible for us to steam up to Shanghai, as we 
have only eighteen tons of miserable coal aboard and are one hun- 
dred and eighty miles from the city. 

July 25. — Fortunately we had a fair wind, otherwise I know not 
what would have happened to us for three or four days to come. 

July 26th. — At eleven o'clock last night we anchored off Shanghai, 
and very timely, as we had only half a ton of coal left. 

July 30th. — This afternoon I went on shore and drove out in 
the country for a few miles, and had a delightful drive through a 
beautiful country. Stopped at the famous Bubbling Well, which 



UP THE YANGTSE RIVER 225 

proved to be a miserable affair along the roadside — nothing peculiar 
about it except a little bubble in the center of the water. 

Aug. 1st. — This evening the Fire Department of Shanghai had a 
trial of their fire engines on the Bund, and at the earnest request of 
several American gentlemen I allowed forty of our men to go on 
shore to work one of the engines against the others. The Bund 
was crowded with people of all nationalities. The band in atten- 
dance played all American tunes — although it was an English 
band. At dark the engines returned, and all the Americans spent 
the evening at the United States consulate. 

Aug. 3d. — Spent all the forenoon yesterday in a dentist's chair, 
much to my disgust. 

Aug. 4th. — At noon two Chinese coolies were killed by lightning 
near the ship. They were torn to atoms almost. I went out 
driving in the early evening and later with ten or fifteen American 
gentlemen attended the opening of a new Chinese theatre. We 
remained only about half an hour, as we were disgusted with the 
noise and actors. 

Aug. 7th. — This evening attended a meeting of the Ancient 
Landmark (Masonic) Lodge, it being entirely American. 

Aug. 10th. — Having finished all preparations for leaving port, 
we received on board Consul-General Seward and about a dozen 
others, and at 1 p. m. started out of the harbor bound up the Yangtse 
to Hankow. At sunset anchored in the river, as it was dangerous 
to run at night. 

Aug. 11th. — At daylight got under way and steamed up the 
river. Most of the day we were in the broad part of the river, 
scarcely being able to see either bank. What we could see was 
very low and marshy. Toward evening the river began to narrow 
and the land was more elevated and beautifully cultivated. At 
9 p. m. we anchored, it being too dark to proceed further. 

Aug. 12th (Sunday). — Got under way at daylight and at 9 a. m. 
anchored, in order to communicate with the Chinese authorities 
about some difficulty with regard to American property. 

Aug. 13th. — It was 107 degrees in the shade all day and it 
was impossible to keep comfortable in any position or place. 
At 9 a. m. Mate T. J. Kelley died very suddenly. He was on deck 
and went below feeling ill and expired in a few minutes. 

Aug. 14th. — At daylight this morning I left the ship in charge 
of the funeral party to bury Mr. Kelley. We had an exceedingly 



226 VISTING PORTS ON BUSINESS 

difficult time in reaching the shore on account of the tremendous 
current in the Yangtse — and after we had made a landing the 
Chinese priests refused to allow me to bury him, but I was obliged 
to do it. 

Two or three cases of sunstroke to-day among our men, the 
thermometer standing 108. At 6 p. m. I went on shore with an 
armed party of men as an escort to Consul-General Seward to 
visit the authorities of the place. Made the visit, but finding that 
we had a perfect fool to deal with we returned to the ship, with the 
intention of going higher up the river. Everybody on board getting 
sick from the excessive heat. 

Aug. 15th. — At 1.45 a. m. Captain Townsend died very suddenly 
of heat apoplexy. He had been exposed to the sun only a short 
time the day before. His orders were to go up this miserable 
river to Hankow. But now, as there was so much sickness on board 
and being left in command, I decided to disregard these orders and 
go to Japan for the health of all hands. At daylight I got under 
way and steamed down the river in order to reach Shanghai 
to-night, and after settling some business there, rejoin the Admiral 
in Japan. The business up the river is not settled, but I do not 
think I would be justified in remaining in this sickly climate. 

At 8 p. m. we came to anchor off the consulate at Shanghai. 
Every vessel in the harbor and all the foreign houses on shore 
joined in half masting their flags. On account of the excessive 
heat the funeral could not take place until late in the evening. 
At 6.15 p. m. the procession left the ship. After getting clear of 
her side we fired minute guns. At the landing we met a very 
large number of citizens, who joined in the procession. The service 
was held in the English chapel by an English clergyman. At the 
grave we fired three volleys over the remains and returned to the 
ship. The pall-bearers were the English and French naval com- 
manders, Consul-General Seward and the heads of all the large 
American firms in Shanghai. Foreigners of all nationalities joined 
in our grief during the solemn ceremonies on shore. 

Aug. 18th. — At 4 p. m., having bid adieu to everyone, I got 
under way and steamed down the river. Just as we got to the 
mouth of the Woosung one of the men died of fever contracted 
while up the Yangtse. As it was not right to go to sea under these 
circumstances I anchored just outside, in order to give him a burial 
on shore to-morrow. 




o 



O U.i 



Cis 



AT YOKOHAMA AND YEDDO 227 

Aug. 19th (Sunday). — I sent a boat at sunset last evening up to 
Woosung and another at one o'clock this morning, in order to get 
permission from the French and Chinese authorities to bury our 
dead on shore. The boat returned at seven o'clock this morning 
and reported that it was impossible to get the desired permission. 
I had not time to return to Shanghai, so we got under way and 
steamed out to sea. At four o'clock this afternoon, being well 
out to sea and in deep water, I called "All hands to bury the dead." 
The funeral service at sea was read by the surgeon, and on its com- 
pletion we resumed our course. 

Aug. 22d. — Steaming on our course at the rate of fourteen knots 
"over the ground." We had a tremendous current, which put us 
over fifty miles ahead of our reckoning. To-night will be one of 
great anxiety to us, for it is very dark and we are obliged to run 
among rocks and shoals. 

Aug. 23d. — Last night was a troublesome one. I steamed ahead 
until one o'clock, when, thinking that we were near islands, I 
headed her to the west under low steam to await daylight. It 
was fortunate for us that we did so, for at daylight rocks and shoals 
were but a short distance off, showing that we had run far enough. 
Steaming all day along and among the islands at the entrance to 
the bay of Yeddo and at 10 a. m. anchored off Yokohama. 

Aug. 25th. — Received a visit from some Japanese officials, one of 
whom was attached to the embassy that visited the United States 
some few years ago. 

Aug. 27th. — In the afternoon went on shore to see the sights of 
Yokohama — saw nearly all of them. Later in the afternoon drove 
out in the country. It was the pleasantest drive I have had in a 
long time. We drove through a most beautiful valley, very highly 
cultivated, and with magnificent scenery about us. Japan is a 
lovely country. 

Aug. 31st. — At ten o'clock the fleet got under way and steamed 
in "line ahead" to Yeddo. We all went as an escort to install our 
minister at the legation. After anchoring off Yeddo the minister 
and his family were landed and escorted to the legation by the 
marines of the squadron formed in one company. 

Sept. 2d (Sunday). — Went on shore to-day to see the great capital 
of Japan. As soon as we landed we met some " two-sworded " 
officials and they conducted us to the American legation. After 
waiting there a short time we started out to see the place. As 



228 VISITING PORTS ON BUSINESS 

Yeddo is not yet an open port no one but naval officers and those 
belonging to the different legations are allowed to land and visit 
the city. With us even, we could not go anywhere without our 
guards, which consisted of a two-sworded Jap for each officer — 
and no one officer was allowed to leave or stray from the party, for 
the reason that if a foreigner is alone and not protected by one of 
the escorts he will be murdered in the streets; and then there is 
nothing to console one's friends but the "indemnity." 

While on shore the officers ascended a hillock a short distance 
from the legation, where a magnificent view of the city was obtained. 
As far as the eye could see, in all directions, was nothing but 
houses, temples and the different palaces of the Tycoons. The 
sight was grand, and well paid one for the trouble of ascending 
ninety-seven steps — very steep at that. Yeddo is the finest city 
I have seen in the East. If one could only go where his inclinations 
direct, instead of following the guides and fear no danger, you 
could see magnificent sights. As it is you are conducted to the 
legation, from there to certain parts of the city and then you are 
obliged to return again from whence you came. The Japanese 
are as different from the Chinese in manners and customs as we are. 

Sept. 5th. — Commander Robert Wilson Shufeldt of the Hartford 
reported on board for the command of the Wachusett. 

Sept. 6th. — The Japanese high officials paid a formal visit to the 
Admiral and were received in state. The flagship went through 
all the exercises for their benefit. 

Sept. 7th. — At 10 a. m. the fleet got under way, steamed down 
the bay and anchored off Yokohama. 



CHAPTER XXVII 

HUNTING FOR PIRATES 

philip's journal of a cruise 

SEPT. 13th. — At 9 a. m. we got under way and steamed out of 
Yokohama harbor bound for Nagasaki. It was blowing 
fresh from the northeast all day, and at dark we were 
obliged to stop engines and bring her head on the wind, but in 
doing so we carried away the fore topsail and fore sail. Indications 
of a very bad night. 

Sept. 14th. — It was very bad all last night and to-day. At 3 
p. m., being still eighty miles from the entrance of the Inland Sea 
and finding that it was impossible to reach it, we put about and 
anchored in Oshima harbor. 

Sept. 15th. — Blowing a gale of wind all day, with every sign of 
an approaching typhoon. Made snug for the worst. 

Sept. 16th. — Last night was the worst I have ever experienced 
on board ship — especially at anchor in a snug harbor. At dark 
the wind blew a perfect hurricane. Although we were almost 
surrounded by high mountains we were obliged to let go all anchors 
and to use the engines, steaming half speed, to keep from going 
ashore. At times it blew so hard that it was next to impossible to 
walk on the deck against the wind. Several of our sails blew 
away, although they were extra lashed and secured. At 1 a. m., 
at the height of the typhoon, there was quite an electrical phenom- 
ena; the heaven to the northeast seemed to be an immense blaze, 
so that we could distinctly see all around the harbor and on shore. 
At daylight the gale broke up and at 4 p. m. we steamed out to sea. 

Sept. 17th. — We entered the Inland Sea of Japan at daylight, and 
steamed all day among the beautiful islands and came to anchor at 
dark. The main land on both sides, and the islands also, are 
under a high state of cultivation and are thickly populated, judging 
from the number of towns we saw. The scenery is grand and 
magnificent. 



230 HUNTING FOR PIRATES 

Sept. 18th. — Steaming all day down the Inland Sea among the 
different islands. The scenery on both sides was magnificent, all 
the islands being highly cultivated, and the shores were covered 
with towns and cities at intervals all the way. 

Sept. 19th. — At daylight we got under way and started through 
the Straits of Shimonoseki. The Prince of Satsuma and others 
are in rebellion against the government and are fighting fiercely. 
The Japs are on each side of the Straits, and as we steamed along 
we could see towns and cities on fire (burned by the rebels) and 
the ruins of a number of others. And when in the narrowest part 
of the straits we passed the Japanese fleet at anchor, and as we 
passed each vessel she saluted by dipping her colors. 

A few days ago the rebels fired on an English gunboat while 
passing. We anticipated something of the same sort and had the 
ship cleared for action and were ready for it. But instead of firing, 
the rebels saluted us in the European fashion. We saw portions 
of the armies of different parties and nearly all of their artillery. 
I was much surprised to see about twelve of our Dahlgren howitzers 
among the number. After leaving the straits we steamed down 
the coast and came to anchor. 

Sept. 20th. — At two o'clock in the morning we again got under 
way and steamed down the coast. At 10 a. m. we passed through 
Spex Straits. These straits are between a couple of islands on 
the western coast, and by going through them we cut off about 
thirty miles of the distance from Shimonoseki to Nagasaki. The 
straits are very narrow and the current runs at a frightful rate; 
which, with the sharp, quick turns you are obliged to make, makes 
it quite dangerous for a ship of this size. In the straits is the 
grandest and most magnificent scenery I ever saw. We thought we 
saw something beautiful in coming through the Inland Sea, but 
nothing to compare with Spex for wildness and magnificence — 
yet every available plot of ground was under a high state of culti- 
vation. If one had the time and means, it would amply repay 
the trouble to come to Japan from the most distant part of the 
world to see the scenery of Japan. 

At 4 p. m. we came to anchor in the harbor of Nagasaki. This 
is a fine, land-locked bay, with beautiful scenery all around. I am 
exceedingly sorry that we are destined to see so little of this lovely 
country. I wish the whole cruise could be spent here instead of 
on the coast of China. 



AT NAGASAKI 231 

Sept. 21st. — Went on shore in the afternoon, and in company 
with some American gentlemen we saw everything that was to be 
seen in Nagasaki. Had a jolly time. The sights would surprise 
any European who had never been fortunate enough to visit 
Japan. 

Sept. 22d. — Informed everybody on shore and afloat, through 
the different consuls, that we intended to sail for China on Monday 
and offering to take their mail, etc., to Hong Kong. All men of 
war do this as an accommodation to the residents, as there is no 
regular mail communication out here between the different ports 
in the East. 

Sept. 23d. — Several Japanese officials visited the ship to-day 
and inspected her internal arrangements and construction. They 
were the most intelligent and observing people I have seen. Two 
or three of them were in the United States with their embassy and 
are quite familiar and sociable. 

Sept. 24th. — At daylight this morning the weather still looked 
very threatening and we concluded not to go to sea. But after 
breakfast it began to clear up, so we got under way and steamed 
out of the harbor for Hong Kong. 

Sept. 27th. — Had a very pleasant run to the coast of China, 
which we sighted last night. But this morning it was blowing a 
gale and it lasted all day. As we were running before it we did not 
feel so much of its force, but at sunset we were obliged to close 
reef all square sail (wind and sea rapidly increasing) and at 9 
p. m. we had to batten down the hatches to keep the water out of 
the hold. We were then in the worst part of the Formosa channel, 
about twenty-five miles from land. Very heavy seas coming 
inboard frequently. 

Sept. 28th. — Blowing a gale of wind all night, very heavy sea 
and we took in large quantities of water. Shortly after daylight 
the gale moderated and by noon it was almost calm. This morn- 
ing we found that we had overrun our reckoning about sixty miles, 
owing to the strong current and heavy "set of the sea." About 
sunset we passed through a fleet of about three hundred Chinese 
junks close together. 

Sept. 29th. — At 10 a. m. we anchored in the harbor of Hong 
Kong. 

Sept. 30th. — News has just been received of the loss of a mail 
steamer and great damage to others in that typhoon we were in 



232 HUNTING FOR PIRATES 

a week or more ago. It was very fortunate for us that we were 
safely anchored in a snug harbor before the height of the storm 
struck us. 

Oct. 1st. — Busy all day preparing to escort a number of American 
merchant vessels well outside of Hong Kong to protect them 
from pirates. It is so bad now that it is really dangerous for any 
merchantman to leave. No longer than last Saturday, just after 
we arrived, a merchant vessel got under way and had scarcely got 
outside the harbor when she was boarded by pirates and all hands 
on board were most brutally murdered — and in sight of one of 
the best English colonies. 

' Oct. 2d. — One of the Hong Kong papers came out with a rather 
severe article to-day in relation to the part we are taking in the 
suppression of piracy on the coast — especially off this port. 

Oct. 3d-4th. — Continued preparations for escorting the American 
merchantman Parsee out of the port. 

Oct. 5th. — Went on shore to buy some curios, but got badly 
cheated by John Chinaman. Returned to the ship " a wiser man," 
etc., and with resolutions to buy no more.' 

Oct. 6th. — Our store ship Supply left the harbor for Yokohama, 
and the Parsee with her for San Francisco. As the route of the 
two vessels is the same for a long distance, we did not convoy the 
Parsee out. The pirates will be much disappointed, as they have 
been waiting for that ship a long time. She has a valuable cargo 
of opium. 

Oct. 13th. — At 9 a. m. got under way and steamed out of the 
harbor. After a fine run we anchored in the harbor of Macao at 
2 p. m., where we found thirty Portuguese and Spanish ships loading 
with coolies for the western continent. 

Oct. 15th. — In the evening as many officers as could be 
spared attended the Governor's ball in the Dom Pedro Theatre. 
The steamer from Hong Kong was filled with passengers — all 
coming over here on account of the ball. 

Oct. 16th. — We got to sea early this morning for a short cruise in 
search of pirates. At 3 p. m. we came to anchor under the island 
of Concok. Formerly this was a great resort for pirates, and we 
have stopped here in hopes of falling in with some of them to-night. 
We are in a snug little bay which reminds one of descriptions given 
in some novels of the haunts of pirates. 

Oct. 17th. — After firing at some rocks with our great guns this 



A FLEET OF WAR JUNKS 233 

morning for target practice, we put to sea and cruised along the 
islands. Our orders are to keep moving. 

Oct. 18th. — Cruising among the islands and at 4 p. m. anchored 
in Lymoon Pass. Went on shore in the evening on the beach and 
had a rifle shooting match with Captain Shufeldt. Fortunately I 
came out ahead, but we will go again until he beats me. 

Oct. 19th. — Spent all day at Lymoon Pass, just outside of Hong 
Kong, waiting for some merchantman needing convoy or some 
pirate that needed our attention. 

Oct. 20th. — At 11 a. m. got under way and anchored off Hong 
Kong in the afternoon. 

Oct. 21st. — Blowing a heavy gale; several ships in the harbor 
dragging their anchors and making heavy weather of it. Small 
sampans have hard work to keep afloat and one capsized just astern 
of us. 

Oct. 22d. — Blowing hard all night and to-day. One or two ves- 
sels came into port dismasted in a typhoon. Vessels in the harbor 
were at " odds and ends " this morning, having drifted and dragged 
all around last night. 

Oct. 26th. — To-day a fleet of Chinese war junks came in and 
anchored, being dressed out with flags of all colors and descrip- 
tions flying from every available spot, besides having their guns 
all trimmed with fancy red ribbons. After anchoring they all 
saluted the English white ensign, and after some time had elapsed 
the English Commodore condescended to return the salute; not by 
saluting any Chinese flag, but by hoisting his own pennant and 
firing under it ! 

Oct. 27th. — Every day some vessel has come into port dismasted 
or otherwise injured by the violence of the gale. To-day a poor 
little Yankee schooner came in just barely floating, with nearly 
everything but her hull lost at sea — but with her colors flying. 
The weather for the past four weeks has been frightful, and the 
gales and typhoons outside have been unmerciful to all vessels 
that were so unfortunate as to be at sea. 

Oct. 28th. — Two mail steamers came in to-day, but I was much 
disappointed in not receiving a letter from home. The saying 
that " No news is good news " is very good in theory, but when 
you get as far as this from home you anxiously look for the mail 
steamer and then, if you receive no letter, you are " out of sorts " 
and miserable for days and weeks to come. 



234 HUNTING FOR PIRATES 

Oct. 29th. — In the evening went on shore and attended an 
amateur theatrical performance in the garrison. It was original 
in all its details and we enjoyed it very much. 

Nov. 3d. — At daylight this morning we got under way and stood 
out to sea. At 2 P. m. we anchored off the town of Pinghoi. We 
sent a boat ashore with an officer to communicate with the chief 
mandarin in regard to an act of piracy committed here a few days 
ago. At 5 p. m. the old mandarin came on board to see the Captain. 
We brought with us from Hong Kong two Chinamen who had been 
robbed here and we turned them over to the mandarin, who prom- 
ised that justice would be done them — and I have no doubt that 
the old fellow will take their heads off for complaining to "foreign 
devils " instead of to him direct. 

Nov. 4th. — At daylight got under way and steamed slowly 
along the coast. The Chinese "admiral" saluted us with three 
guns, which we returned with our 100-pounder rifles. 

Nov. 5th. — Steaming all night along the coast, close inshore 
and keeping a bright lookout for rocks and shoals. At 10 a. m. 
entered a river and at noon anchored off the city of Swatow. This 
is another miserable place to remain at for any length of time. 

Nov. 6th. — Went on shore this morning and exercised with pistol 
and rifles. In the evening visited the Chinese city across the 
river. Walked over it and found it to be the dirtiest place we have 
seen in the East. 

Nov. 8th. — All the forenoon we exercised the boats in different 
evolutions about the harbor, ending up with a very spirited boat 
race with all the boats — thus breaking the monotony of our stay 
here. 

Nov. 10th. — Last night the Chinese war fleet that we had met 
off Pinghoi came in and anchored 'mid firing of guns and fireworks, 
with other " chin-chinning the joss pigeon." At 10 a.m. we steamed 
out to sea, bound up the coast to look after some pirates that were 
reported as having a rendezvous in the vicinity. 

Nov. 11th. — After breakfast we ran up the coast of the island of 
Namoa and anchored off a piratical town. Sent a boat ashore 
to the village, but discovered nothing suspicious. Our men attracted 
large crowds of natives wherever they went. We are expecting 
the old Chinese admiral with his war fleet up here from Swatow. 
Then we may, with his assistance, ferret out something worth 
looking after. 



A CHINESE INTERVIEW 235 

Nov. 12th. — At 9 a. m. got under way and steamed out to sea. 
At 3 p.m., finding that we were making very little headway against 
the monsoon, we ran in and anchored off the town of Tongseng, 
where we found an English gunboat at anchor — also out in search 
of piratical craft. 

Nov. 13th. — I went on shore this morning with an armed boat 
crew to make an official call on the chief mandarin in regard to 
pirates in this section of the coast. After arriving at his residence 
and sending in Captain Shufeldt's Chinese card, he would not 
receive me — never having had the pleasure of meeting a foreigner 
before, face to face. I then sent in word that I was "peaceably 
inclined " and wished only to say a few words with him on business. 
He then sent out word that he had gone "in the country and would 
not return for four days." I sent word to him then that "that 
was all humbug" and that I desired to see him or his representa- 
tive; and after waiting half an hour, sending messages back and 
forth, he finally wanted to know "how the foreigners met each 
other," or in other words, how they shook hands. After answering 
this silly question I was admitted to his presence, and on the 
strength of that last question, I walked up to him and presented 
my hand. Chinese-like, he gave me his left hand. 

After concluding the interview I asked permission to go over 
such portions of the city as I desired and asked for a guide. He 
readily consented, and after sipping a cup of tea with him I left. 
I saw all I desired of the city in a very short time, it being very 
dirty. I was followed by a large number of men, women and 
children, but was not molested. In the "rounds" I visited a 
joss-house, and at the request of the priest gave a little coin to 
"joss" to keep the devil from visiting the innocent people after I 
had left him. As the old priest at once began a "chin-chin" to 
the "joss-devil," I suppose no evil happened to them after we 
" foreign devils " left. 

Nov. 14th. — It was blowing so hard to-day that we did not put 
to sea, preferring to remain in our snug harbor until the wind and 
sea moderate. In the evening the English mail steamer Mona 
put into this bay for shelter. She is from Hong Kong, bound up 
the coast, but it was blowing so hard and there was such a heavy 
head sea on that she made little headway and put in here for 
relief. 

Nov. 15th. — The Mona got under way and proceeded to sea, but 



236 HUNTING FOR PIRATES 

on getting outside she found the weather so bad that she returned 
to her anchorage. 

Nov. 17th. — At 7 a. m., it having moderated, we got under way 
and steamed out of the harbor. As soon as we rounded the head- 
land we met a very heavy chop sea and a strong monsoon, so that 
we were obliged to steam at full power in order to make any head- 
way against it. The English gunboat got under way with us, but 
finding it too rough, she went about and returned to her anchorage. 
We arrived at Amoy about five o'clock, after a short but rough 
passage, and were glad to get our anchors down in a snug harbor. 

Nov. 18th (Sunday). — At divine service to-day we had a sermon 
by the Rev. Mr. Van Dom, an American missionary. He gave us 
an excellent sermon, which we were all gratified to hear, it being 
the second opportunity we have had of hearing a sermon on board 
since leaving the United States. In the afternoon went with some 
American gentlemen for a walk back of the city, and there saw the 
grandest sights in nature I have ever seen. 

Nov. 19th. — Went on shore in the morning with some officers 
for a general exploration of the city, as we generally do on arriving 
in a strange place. Found Amoy to be the dirtiest and filthiest 
place I think we have yet visited. It has a population of over 
three hundred thousand inhabitants, very closely stowed. The 
streets are exceedingly narrow, the widest not over ten feet wide, 
consequently the buildings seem to be almost one mass thrown 
together. 

Nov. 20th. — This morning five of our mess went on shore for 
"a day of it." We each got a Chinese pony, and with a guide 
started out to see Amoy and its suburbs. We rode over thirty 
miles out, and had a jolly time of it among ourselves and with 
the Chinamen we met. Being in citizen's dress we could do as 
we pleased almost, and as a consequence made "John look." 
Being unfortunate enough to be perched upon an Amoy "racer" 
(but a blind one) I got thrown once or twice — much to the amuse- 
ment of the rest of the party. My heaviest fall was when I rode 
my blind " racer " up a flight of steep steps. 

Nov. 25th (Sunday). — To-day the Rev. Mr. Talmadge preached 
to us one of the best sermons I have ever heard. He is a mission- 
ary, but very wealthy. 

Nov. 28th. — At 8 a. m. began to get under way and after an hour 
of hard work succeeded in getting up one of our anchors, bat on 



ATTACKED BY PIRATES 237 

coming awash we found that we had hove up one of the Cormorant's 
anchors (an English war ship which had put into the same harbor) 
with our own. With a great deal of trouble we succeeded in clear- 
ing them and then put out to sea. Blowing a northeast gale, 
with a very heavy and irregular sea. To-night cold and very 
dark with increasing gale, but the ship behaving beautifully under 
the circumstances. 

Nov. 29th. — At 3 p. m. anchored in Hong Kong harbor. 

Dec. 1st. — Last night the American merchant ship Powhatan 
was attacked by pirates while at anchor in this harbor. The 
pirates were driven off only after some of them were killed. This 
is another piece of high-handed robbery directly in the face of 
the English authorities. Why all these pirates are not hung I 
can't imagine, for they are becoming bolder and worse every day. 

(Philip's Journal Continued in Chapter XXIX) 



CHAPTER XXVIII 

IN COMMAND AT A PICNIC 

Marcus H. Rogers 

WHILE the report of the almost sudden death of 
Rear-Admiral John W. Philip in New York 
was heard with profound sorrow all over the 
country, there was a deeper sense of sadness felt by a 
group of personal friends in Berkshire, who became 
intimately acquainted with him some years ago through 
the pleasant associations and experiences of camp life, 
enjoyed by about twenty-five young people of Great 
Barrington, during two weeks of happy memory spent 
on the shore of Lake Garfield, in the near-by town of 
Monterey. 

Captain Philip, as he was then, came to Great Barring- 
ton in July, 1877, to visit his cousin, Mrs. J. F. Sanford, 
and it was upon her suggestion that the camping party 
was organized, and she became its chaperone, with Mrs. 
Rogers as the only other married lady in the group. 
Five ordinary tents were provided, together with a 
large show-tent, supported by two center poles, which 
became the dining room and drawing room for the 
entire party. 

Naturally of a retiring disposition, modest and unas- 
suming, Captain Philip had remained a quiet member 
of the party, when something happened which brought 
him to the front, and demonstrated his future record of 
being found ready for any and every emergency. Early 



A SUDDEN STORM 239 

one morning the rumble of distant thunder gave warning 
of an approaching storm. Who has not seen it — to 
admire, or to take measure of himself — the sudden and 
mighty upheaval of cloudy masses, like the coils of 
gigantic serpents rolling and writhing in deadly embrace, 
while the sable banners of the Storm King overspread 
the sky as he marshals his mysterious forces for the 
grand assault? 

The black clouds were rapidly advancing, when the 
first whirl of the coming tempest blew the large tent 
completely down! Here was a serious predicament, 
with the sharp flashes of lightning and the nearing 
thunder peals foretelling the coming deluge. The sudden 
catastrophe had for the moment unnerved everybody in 
the camp except one man — and that man was Captain 
Philip. Instantly recognizing the necessity of leader- 
ship and action, he assumed command, and gave his 
orders to this one and that, imparting something of his 
own calmness and confidence to those around him, and 
he seemed, as the incident is recorded in my memory, as 
he might have been on a warship going into battle — 
so completely was his personality lost in the commander 
and the duty before him. 

And it did seem like a contest with the elements, to 
re-erect the large tent in such a gale. But so quickly 
was the work accomplished under his directions, that 
it was put up in proper shape just in time to protect 
the campers, for the last new guy rope had hardly been 
secured, when the storm seemed to break directly over 
us, with a tremendous downfall of rain. But before 
the deep sense of relief and thankfulness which every- 
body felt could find expression, Captain Philip, in the 
gentle kindness of his heart, apologized for having taken 
it upon himself to give directions! A verdict of for- 



240 IN COMMAND AT A PICNIC 

giveness was promptly rendered, and he had won the 
warm admiration of everybody present. 

And his companions came to know and appreciate 
the rare worth of the man, the gentleness and nobility 
of his nature, as the world knows and honors him to-day. 
He was a most jovial companion, and heartily enjoyed 
the almost constant flow of fun and frolic, for there were 
some wits and wags in the party, and some to manage 
entertainments, adding much to the life and enjoyment 
of the camp. Captain Philip was himself a most delight- 
ful talker, but the members found it was not easy to get 
him to talk much of his personal experiences. 

So they used to play little games upon him, by having 
some young lady who might attract his attention manage 
to get him started upon some subject connected with 
his command of the Woodruff scientific expedition 
around the world, and then the others would quietly join 
the group, one by one, and he would almost uncon- 
sciously hold them all charmed for an hour with accounts 
of his experiences in China or Japan. And then it was 
rare fun to observe the look of confused surprise when 
he came to a stop, and realized the large additions to 
the size of his audience ! 

The camp was named "Camp Con-Tent," and several 
marriage engagements were credited to the opportunities 
for companionship it afforded. One young lady, brim 
full of fun, pretended ownership of the several hammocks 
which were swung in a grove close by. She warranted 
them to hold two, and "rented" them by the hour, and 
made a great deal of fun in notifying her patrons when 
"time's up!" One of the fish stories published in "The 
Courier" at the time, was to the effect that one gentleman 
who had started out at daylight one morning with the 
avowed purpose of providing a supply of fish for break- 



" JAMIE WILL BRING UP THE REAR" 241 

fast, came back rather late, triumphantly bringing "a 
pickerel that lacked only a foot and a half of being 
twenty inches long!" 

Captain Philip was accompanied from Catskill by a 
niece and nephew. Jamie was then a bright and typical 
boy, out for all the fun he could get, and though there 
were many demands made upon him, he pretended to 
avoid as much labor as possible, and he wouldn't hurry. 

One day when returning from an expedition in the 
boats on the lake, there were many things to be carried 
up to the camp, such as baskets, cushions, chairs and 
wraps, and one camper volunteered to bring one thing 
and another to bring something else, until ample pro- 
vision had been made, Captain Philip taking a full share, 
when he quietly remarked, with a merry twinkle in his 
eye, that " Jamie will bring up the rear!" 

There were many visitors to the camp, for it was a 
famous affair at the time, cards of invitation were 
printed, and dozens of the most prominent people from 
Great Barrington were often entertained in a single day. 
Two large photographs were taken, one showing the 
entire camp with the lake and the landscape, and the 
other a group of the participants in front of the largest 
tent. 

These pictures have always been most highly prized, 
but they will now be more than ever valued, since 
Admiral Philip, after a life of such honor and great 
achievement, coupled with a nobility of character which 
has made his name forever glorious in the annals of his 
country, has been called to his final rest and reward. 



CHAPTER XXIX 

BUSY ON WAR-LIKE ERRANDS 

philip's journal of a cruise 

DEC. 4th. — Hong Kong — The flagship Hartford came in 
from Japan yesterday and to-day our surgeon, Dr. Page, 
was transferred to her and Dr. Penrose of the flagship 
sent to us in his place. Several of the Hartford's officers came on 
board and spent the evening with me. Had a jolly time of it, 
they all being old schoolmates at Annapolis. 

Dec. 6th. — At 2 p. m. the Admiral came on board to take a look 
at the Wachusett, semi-officially. He called all the officers up in 
the cabin to see if we had the new "Welles' regulation cap," as 
per orders of the Hon. Secretary of the Navy. He did not admire 
the cap, but seemed well pleased with the ship. 

Dec. 7th. — This morning we ran up the Canton River and 
anchored off Whampoa, where we are to go into dock to replace 
our copper and for calking. We were immediately surrounded by 
hundreds of sampans eager to get the ship's washing and to attend 
to the ship during our stay. 

Dec. 8th. — The ship surrounded all day by sampans innumer- 
able, their occupants eager to get on board to sell their trade and 
others watching an opportunity to steal something — even to the 
copper off the ship's bottom. Whampoa is the most noted place 
along the coast for this class of thieves, and we have to be very 
vigilant, day and night, to keep them away from the ship's sides. 

Dec. 10th. — Went into dry dock. At 5 p. m. the funeral services 
over the remains of one of our men took place on shore, the man 
having been drowned in the river last night. The Rev. Mr. 
Gray, of Canton, kindly offered his services. He is one of the 
best missionaries we have met in the East. 

Dec. 11th. — News came to-day of the entire destruction of 
Yokohama by fire, leaving only one or two houses standing. 



DIFFICULT RIVER NAVIGATION 243 

Dec. 15th. — Came out of dry dock to-day, having given the ship 
a thorough overhauling, inside as well as outside, while in the dock. 
Dec. 16th (Sunday). — In the evening went on shore and attended 
divine service in a private house, the Rev. Mr. Gray officiating. 
He comes down from Canton every Sunday evening to preach to 
the few Europeans living here, at great trouble and exposure on 
the river from the Chinese. 

Dec. 20th. — At 8 a. m. took one of the cutters and went with 
several of the officers up to Canton to attend the "races." These 
races at Canton are strictly private; no one but gentlemen ride, 
or own, ponies. At the request of the committee I allowed our 
boat's crew to act as a guard around the race course. The sailors 
behaved unusually well, and rendered good service in preserving 
order. We left Canton about 8 p. m., and after a tedious pull of 
nearly six hours, got back to the ship about two o'clock in the 
morning, quite tired out. At this, like other gatherings I have 
attended in the East, the handsomest lady present was an American. 
Dec. 22d. — Received orders from the Admiral to report for duty 
at Hong Kong immediately. As the Ashuelot has been seventeen 
days out from Manila, and as there is some anxiety about her 
safety, I think we will be ordered to search for her between this 
and Manila. 

Dec. 23d. — Got under way in charge of a pilot. We had some 
trouble in getting clear of the shipping. We ran over a dock 
buoy and a sampan and then went on finely until 3.30 a. m., when 
the pilot ran us high and dry aground about fifteen miles below 
Whampoa. Worked hard all night to get afloat, but without 
success. About noon the Yankee tug Little Orphan came to 
our assistance, and at 2.30 p. m. we finally got the ship off the bank. 
Dec. 24th. — Ran into Hong Kong and anchored near the flag- 
ship. This being Christmas eve we tried to spend it agreeably, 
and with some of the Hartford's officers managed to have a pleasant 
time. 

Dec. 25th. — This, of course, was a holiday, not only on shore 
but afloat. We were busy all day in making and receiving calls. 
Although the day should have been kept quietly, yet I fear some 
of the sailors experienced rather a "jolly time" of it. 

Dec. 26th. — We had a court-martial to-day for the trial of two 
of our men who deserted in Shanghai last July. We have lost 
sixty men or more since leaving Boston. 



244 BUSY ON WAR-LIKE ERRANDS 

Dec. 27th. — In the evening went on shore and attended the Masonic 
banquet and the installation of the W. M. for the ensuing year. I 
met His Excellency, the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Richard 
MacDonald, K. C. B., at the lodge — but there we were equal. 

Dec. 29th. — Went to sea to-clay, bound for the north. As we 
are obliged to "butt against" a strong northeast monsoon I sent 
down all the yards and housed the topmasts, so as to offer as little 
resistance to the wind as possible. Steaming close in to the coast 
to-night so as to get smooth water. 

Dec. 31st. — Steaming along the coast yesterday and to-day. 
We are now in the Formosa channel. It is so hazy that you 
could not see land at four miles, and not having been able to get 
an observation it makes it rather uncomfortable navigating 
to-night. 

Jan. 1st, 1867. — It began blowing strong this morning, with a 
rapidly increasing wind and sea and with every appearance of bad 
weather. We "butted head to it" until 3 p. m., when we ran 
behind an island and anchored. To-night it is blowing a gale, 
and had we not anchored we would have had a very rough night 
of it. As it is we are comfortable. 

Jan. 3d. — Heavy gale all day yesterday. To-day it moderated 
and we resumed our course northward, but made little headway 
against the monsoon. 

Jan. 5th. — Arrived in the Yangtse this evening after a slow 
run up the coast. 

Jan. 6th. — No sooner had we anchored off the American consulate 
at Shanghai this morning than all our old American friends came on 
board to welcome us. This place is thoroughly American, and 
seems more like home than any other place on this station. 

Jan. 8th. — Busy taking in coal and provisions yesterday and 
to-clay. This evening visited the Ancient Landmark (Masonic) 
Lodge and witnssed the initiation of two of our officers. 

Jan. 11th. — Put to sea this morning, steaming northward. 
Every appearance of a snowstorm this afternoon. 

Jan. 13th (Sunday). — Passed through the Yellow Sea yesterday 
and entered the Gulf of Pechili to-day. As we could not reach Che- 
foo to-night, and as there was every indication of bad weather, we 
anchored in the bay of Wei-hai-wei. We were very fortunate in 
making this anchorage, for it is very stormy out in the gulf 
to-night. 



A RUN UP TO COREA 245 

Jan. 14th. — Although it was very stormy this morning, we 
again got under way and anchored under Chefo Bluff this afternoon. 
Very cold all day, the thermometer standing at 20 degrees. 

Jan. 16th. — Very cold and snowing hard, both yesterday and 
to-day. Captain Shufeldt paid an official visit to the Chinese 
authorities to-day. We had to keep up a high pressure of steam 
on the boilers in order to keep warm on board. 

Jan. 20th.— So cold the last three clays that it was almost impos- 
sible to keep warm on board. 

Jan. 21st. — This morning we received on board two pilots for 
the coast of Corea and the Rev. Mr. Corbett to act as an interpreter 
on our visit to Corea. Got under way and steamed tor the entrance 
of the harbor, but finding it blowing very hard outside, with a very 
heavy dust storm, we came to anchor again under Chefoo Bluff to 
await more favorable weather. And it was very fortunate for us 
that we did so, for just before we anchored some part of the 
machinery broke, which would have disabled our motive power 
in a wild storm. 

Jan. 23d. — We left Chefoo early yesterday morning, crossed the 
Gulf of Pechili and at daylight this morning sighted the coast of 
Corea. We steamed in for the land with guns all cast loose, 
ready for instant action, for the Coreans are well known for their 
hostility toward all foreigners. Passed the islands known as the " Sir 
James Hall's Group " and entered an unknown bay. As we had 
no charts or idea whatever about this bay we had to advance very 
cautiously, there being from four to twenty fathoms at different 
casts of the lead, and the tide rises and falls about eight fathoms, 
or forty-eight feet. Finally we were obliged to anchor and send a 
boat out to find a safe anchorage, and having found one for the 
night we came-to behind an island in the mouth of the Hong Kin. 

We came over here to communicate with the Corean authorities 
in regard to the murder of the General Sherman's crew. While 
waiting an answer from the shore we intend to survey the bay — 
which is not on the present charts — and will call it for the future 
"Wachusett Bay." Some Coreans came on board after we had 
anchored — all curiosity, this being the first steamer or ship they 
had ever seen. In fact, they had never before seen white people. 
If it was not so cold we might have had a very pleasant time. 

Jan. 24th. — After breakfast an officer was sent with Mr. Corbett 
to find some one who would carry a dispatch to the mandarin of 
the district. After a great deal of trouble they succeeded in hiring 



246 BUSY ON WAR-LIKE ERRANDS 

a man to make the trip inland. The trouble is that they are 
afraid of losing their heads if they are known to have held com- 
munication with the " Western people." 

Captain Shufeldt, the navigator and I went out in different 
cutters, sounding around the bay and up the river. I ascended 
the river about six miles and found plenty of water as far as I 
went. Returned to the ship at four o'clock and got the Wachusett 
under way and stood up the river. At dark, came to anchor in 
a fine bay which the Captain says shall be called " Philip's Bay " 
on the chart hereafter. [There is no "Philip's Bay" on the 
United States naval charts to-day, but there is a "Philip's Islet" 
to the left of the entrance to Chemulpho harbor — E. S. M.] We 
are now abreast a fine little Corean town built of straw. 

Jan. 25th. — Out all day in a boat sounding up the bay and 
river. Went about eight miles east of the ship and found plenty 
of water to go that far up. All the people flocked to the shores 
to see us, but would run as soon as we approached near them. 

Jan. 27th. — Boats away from the ship all day, busy sounding 
and surveying the bay. Ascended the river about eighteen miles, 
until blocked with ice. 

Jan. 27th (Sunday). — The Rev. Mr. Corbett preached an excellent 
sermon. 

Jan. 28th. — Cold and dreary all day, yet we spent nine hours in 
boats sounding and surveying. While close into shore a crowd of 
Coreans (I counted ninety-one) came down to us and being very 
curious they wished to examine everything about — particularly 
our garments. 

Jan. 29th. — At 10 a. m. a Corean mandarin came on board to 
"find out our business in Corean waters." He pretended to be a 
private citizen. On being questioned rather sharply in regard to 
the General Sherman affair he wound himself up in lies and unin- 
tentionally revealed his true character. Finding it impossible 
to get a message to the king or to find out anything definitely 
from the natives about here, Captain Shufeldt sent the mandarin 
on shore and assured him that a number of large ships would 
return in the spring to secure entire satisfaction from the Corean 
government and would force them to yield. After sending the 
Corean on shore, we got under way and steamed out to sea bound 
for the south. 

Feb. 1st. — After riding out a heavy snow storm under the lee 
of an island on the coast of Corea yesterday and the day before, 



OVERRUN WITH COREANS 247 

we went ahead at full speed at daylight this morning and at 4 
p. m. anchored in Port Hamilton, an island on the southern coast 
of Corea. We are here to examine this island and its harbor, 
with a view to forming a naval depot for the United States. Short- 
ly after anchoring, we were visited by some Gorean officials, who 
"welcomed us from our distant western homes to their shores, 
etc.," and "hoped that our mission was a friendly one," etc. 

Feb. 2d. — To-day we were overrun with Coreans of all classes, 
very eager to see everything on board and to obtain presents 
from the officers. But they would give nothing in return for jack- 
knives, tobacco, money or anything. They wore very peculiar 
hair hats, which we tried to buy or trade for. But they would 
not dispose of anything, for fear (as they said) that their king 
would chop their heads off for communicating with us. Several 
of our officers visited the shore, but saw nothing of interest. They 
were worried almost to death by crowds collecting around them, 
wishing to examine everything about their clothing and persons — 
wishing the officers to give them things as curios. 

Feb. 3d. — Left Port Hamilton early this morning, bound for 
Shanghai. 

Feb. 5th. — Came to anchor this morning off the United States 
consulate at Shanghai. We were soon visited by a large number 
of Americans from the different houses to welcome us back. Re- 
ceived a large mail with news, etc. 

Feb. 6th. — Everything was closed on shore to-day, as it is the 
Chinese New Year. They, of course, are having a jolly time with 
their fireworks, etc. 

Feb. 7th. — Went on shore in the morning, and after securing a 
"fancy turnout, " we drove all day about the city and the adjoining 
country. 

Feb. 8th. — Mr. Seward, our late consul-general, came on board 
to bid us farewell before he left for the United States. 

Feb. 14th. — In the evening gave a large dinner party to some of 
our friends in Shanghai. The same last night. 

Feb. 17th (Sunday). — In the morning I attended divine service 
in the English chapel and in the evening at the American church 
Heard an excellent sermon preached by a Mr. Nelson of Virginia 
a late Confederate. 

Feb. 21st. — Went on shore and took out of jail one of our runa- 
ways of last July. Confined him on board to await trial. Sent 
word to all the different foreign naval authorities that to-morrow 



248 BUSY ON WAR-LIKE ERRANDS 

was Washington's Birthday, and requested them to "dress ship" 
with us at sunrise. 

Feb. 22d. — At sunrise all the men of war dressed ship with us. 
The Prussian was very anxious to fire a salute at noon, but Captain 
Shufeldt would not consent, because we are not allowed to fire 
salutes. In the evening some of us went down on board the 
Yankee bark Nellie Abbott and had a very pleasant evening. 

Feb. 23d. — A great many people visited the ship to-day, as we 
are on the eve of sailing. We flatter ourselves with the idea of hav- 
ing a great many friends here. 

Feb. 25th. — At 3.30 p. m. we steamed down the river in charge 
of a pilot. Arrived at Woosung about sunset to await daylight 
before proceeding up the Yangtse. 

Feb. 27th. — We made one hundred miles up the river yesterday, 
and resumed our course early this morning. At 2 p. m. we reached 
our old anchorage, where Captain Townsend died last summer. 
Now it is much pleasanter, yet we have many unpleasant remem- 
brances of the place and wish to leave it as soon as possible. 

Mar. 1st. — Got under way at daylight and proceeded up the 
river. Passed the grand canal and in the afternoon passed the 
city of Nankin. Came to anchor at 8 p. m. to await daylight. 

Mar. 4th. — For the last three days we have been steaming up 
the river amid magnificent scenery. At 9 a. m. anchored off the 
city of Kin Kiang. In the afternoon several of us went on shore 
and walked all over the city. Saw nothing of interest. 

Mar. 5th. — In steaming up the river to-day we enjoyed the 
finest scenery on the stream. It was really beautiful, and after 
seeing the barren coast of China for the past year we could 
appreciate the views. 

Mar. 6th. — Got under way at daylight and at 3 p. m. reached 
the city of Hankow, the end of our journey, so we are at last 
six hundred and eighteen miles in the interior of China. We are 
the second but largest American man-of-war that has ever visited 
this place. 

Mar. 8tk — To-day Captain Shufeldt made an official call with 
our consul on the chief mandarin of Hankow, in order to impress 
upon his mind the importance of the United States. The old 
fellow has always had the idea that the United States was a small 
place, not far, but subject to China, and would not recognize any 
consular agent from us — hence one reason for our visit to this 
place. The mandarin comes on board to-morrow in order to 



IN A CHINESE MILITARY CAMP 249 

satisfy himself in regard to our demands and rights to have a 
representative. 

Mar. 9th. — At 2 p. m. the great mandarin came on board. 
Received him with the usual ceremonies and showed him nearly 
everything on board. The old fellow left apparently very much 
pleased with his visit. 

Mar. 11th. — Several of the officers went on shore to witness the 
athletic sports. I allowed several sailors to go on shore on liberty, 
and of course they were on the grounds, and entering into the races, 
managed to carry off three prizes for the Wachusett against the 
English and French tars. 

Mar. 12th. — Early this morning our American friends formed a 
party and we all visited a camp of Chinese soldiers. Unfortunately 
we were too late to see their drills, but we inspected their camp 
thoroughly. Being in uniform we were kindly received by the 
old general and his officers, who wished us to remain and accept of 
his hospitality; but, having tried Chinese chow-chow before, we 
declined. Their camps were in good order for Chinese and laid 
out quite regularly. The only remarkable thing to us was the 
great number of flags and banners. There seemed to be a flag 
for each man, stuck up everywhere. 

Mar. 14th. — Left Hankow early this morning and steamed 
down the river. After proceeding about one hundred miles, every 
village we came to was on Are. At one time we counted seventeen 
within a circle of six miles. They had been set on fire by the 
rebels on the north bank of the river. The south bank was covered 
with refugees. We anchored at dark abreast of a burning 
village. 

Mar. 15th. — Game to anchor off the city of Kin Kiang about 7 
p. m. Great excitement on shore because the rebels are so near. 
Everybody in a state of alarm. If there is any danger to Euro- 
peans we will not leave the river for the present, but will remain to 
look out for American interests. 

Mar. 18th. — Much excitement the last two days. The chief 
mandarin called on Captain Shufeldt to-day to express his gratifi- 
cation that the Wachusett remained near the city. Refugees 
arriving here continually from the opposite bank of the river. 
Every night we see one or more villages burning. 

Mar. 20th. — Refugees flocking in by thousands. To-day it was 
reported that the rebels were crossing the river above here to 



250 BUSY ON WAR-LIKE ERRANDS 

attack this place, but the report is not correct, although the rascals 
are in great force just across the river. 

Mar. 23d. — As the rebels have retired, we got under way this 
morning and resumed our course down the river, after having 
received profuse thanks from the chief mandarin of Kin Kiang for 
remaining by the city until the rebels departed. On the way 
down the river there were no signs of the rebels, but at each city 
and town we passed the people seemed to be preparing for an attack, 
and all the walls were covered, so far as we could see, with small 
flags of all sorts and descriptions, intended to frighten off the enemy. 

Mar. 25th. — Arrived at Nankin last evening. As this is not an 
open city we secured permission from the authorities to go ashore 
and see the place, which we will do to-morrow. 

Mar. 26th. — A party of ten of the officers, including our captain, 
went on shore this morning. Horses were furnished by an English 
surgeon in charge of the Chinese arsenals. We first saw the ruins 
of the celebrated porcelain tower, and then rode out to the tombs 
of the Ming dynasty. We rode nearly thirty miles. In its day 
Nankin must have been one of the largest cities in the world, for 
we were at least five hours in riding at a good trot across one portion 
of it on a street road. 

Mar. 27th. — We left Nankin at daylight this morning and 
steamed down the river to Chin Kiang, forty-five miles distant. 

Mar. 29th. — We left Chin Kiang at noon and started down the 
river, having as passengers the American consul (Capt. Gharles J. 
Sands, U. S. A.) and his sister (now Mrs. Edward L. Marsh, of Des 
Moines, Iowa) on board as passengers for Shanghai — consequently 
this has been a very pleasant trip so far. The only objection to 
it on our part is that it will terminate to-morrow evening and then 
we must resume the old routine again. Getting under way so 
soon we disappointed some of our friends who came up from 
Shanghai in a steamer to return with us. We passed them on the 
way. 

Mar. 30th. — At 2 p. m. we anchored at our old berth off the 
United States consulate at Shanghai. We had scarcely anchored 
before nearly all our friends came on board to " chin-chin " with us. 

April 2d. — In the evening I attended a meeting of the Ancient 
Landmark (Masonic) Lodge and witnessed the raising of two of 
our officers. 




e S 






&£arl 



CHAPTER XXX 

A LONG DEFERRED HOMEWARD VOYAGE 
philip's journal of a cruise 

APRIL 3d, 1867. — Shanghai — At 10 a. m. steamed down the 
river bound for Foo-Chow. 
April 6th. — At 5 p. m. anchored at the Pagoda Anchor- 
age in the Minn River, twelve miles below Foo-Chow. 

April 7th. — Spent most of the day aboard the Ashuelot, with 
schoolmates whom I had not seen since leaving the academy. 

April 10th. — This morning the Ashuelot received orders to go to 
sea immediately. Of course the greater portion of the day had to 
be spent with her officers, as we may not see them again for a long 
time. She is ordered to Formosa, to look after an American ship 
supposed to be lost and all hands murdered. 

April 14th. — Got under way at daylight and steamed up the 
coast. 

April 16th. — At noon anchored off the city of Chin Hae. Sent 
an officer by steamer to Shanghai to get our mail and dispatches 
from the Admiral and thus ascertain his whereabouts. 

April 18th. — Learned that our Admiral had gone to Japan and 
had ordered us to remain on this part of the station. This is for- 
tunate for us, as we have broken our shaft. At noon got under 
way and anchored off the city of Ningpo. Now we have visited 
every port on the coast of China and are ready to go home. 

April 22d. — In the afternoon five missionaries and their families 
visited the ship. Had a pleasant time, and on their leaving some 
of the officers accompanied them home to spend the evening with 
them. The missionaries here and at Foo-Chow are the nicest 
families we have visited in the East. They seem more " home-like." 
[The writer will, perhaps, be excused for noting that among the 
missionary families in Foo-Chow at the time of Philip's visit was 
that of the Rev. Robert Samuel Maclay. The writer, the youngest 
of a family of eight children, was then only four years old, and in 



252 A LONG DEFERRED HOMEWARD VOYAGE 

his "interview" with the future great admiral made no mention 
whatever of preparing the " Life and Adventures of 'Jack ' Philip." 
— E. S. M.] 

April 23d. — Left Ningpo at noon bound for Shanghai, where we 
will have our machinery (which is in bad condition and only par- 
tially repaired) permanently fixed. 

April 24th. — At 8 a. m. anchored off the consulate at Shanghai. 
The mail from home arrived to-day, but no letters for me — conse- 
quently disappointed. 

April 25th. — The Supply arrived to-day, bringing me my com- 
mission as a lieutenant-commander in the navy. 

April 27th. — In the afternoon hired a splendid "turn out" and 
took some officers and friends out to the race course to witness the 
athletic sports. Then drove outside the city limits for some 
distance. 

May 6th. — To-day I bought a cabinet for a high price and got 
badly cheated by a Chinaman. 

May 10th. — Attended the races in the afternoon. The " Red, 
White and Blue" carried the field, and consequently brought in 
the honors and fame for the Yankees. 

May 17th. — In the evening I sent sixty men on shore to join in 
the parade of the "fire department." It being an American 
institution our men joined with a will on their different engines. 

May 19th (Sunday). — Last night one of the large river steamers 
ran into us, but did more damage to herself than to us. 

May 22d. — I landed about seventy sailors in front of the con- 
sulate and exercised them in different infantry evolutions. Of 
course we attracted crowds of " lookers-on," but the drill was such 
that we were proud to have any one see. 

May 25th. — The mail from Europe and the United States 
arrived this afternoon, but unfortunately I did not receive any- 
thing from home. I have not received any for four mails, and 
am much disappointed and am now afraid almost to receive 
one. 

May 30th. — Yesterday and to-day I landed ninety men for 
infantry drills, which went off to the satisfaction of " all hands." 
This afternoon two American ladies visited the ship — thus giving 
us a treat. 

May 31st. — An English ship ran into us to-day and carried 
away our head booms. I immediately went aboard him and gave 



A GLORIOUS "FOURTH" 253 

him to understand that he could not sail until all damages were 
paid for. 

June 1st. — Had a spirited race to-day between our gig and 
a boat belonging to the Spanish consul. Our boat won. 

June 9th. — This has been one of the pleasantest days I have 
spent on shipboard. After the Sunday inspection we had divine 
service on the quarter deck, the Rev. Mr. Yates officiating, and 
besides our own people there were ten or twelve ladies and gentle- 
men from shore who attended the service. In the evening I 
attended service in the American church. 

June 15th. — To-day is one of the pleasantest I have spent on 
this station, for I spent it with the family of a missionary. It was 
so home-like. 

June 19th. — To-day the Hartford and Wyoming returned from 
their mission to Formosa to see about the murder of some Ameri- 
cans by the natives. After landing some two hundred men and 
suffering greatly from sunstroke, they were obliged to retreat. 
We learned to-day of the death of Lieutenant-Commander 
Mackenzie. 

June 29th. — In the evening I attended the meeting of the 
Ancient Landmark (Masonic) Lodge and witnessed the raising of 
one of our officers. There were present nineteen officers from the 
American squadron. 

July 4th. — At sunrise we dressed ship in honor of the day, all the 
vessels in the port joining with us. Though it rained hard all day 
the Yankees were " alive, " afloat and ashore, making and returning 
calls — guns and firecrackers going off at intervals, much to the 
annoyance of the English residents, but to the glorification of the 
Yankees. In the evening dinner parties took place throughout 
the American community in Shanghai. Although we are on the 
opposite side of the world from the United States, I think the day 
was observed with as much glorification as if we had been at 
home. 

July 9th. — At 5 p. m. a very spirited boat race came off between 
the Admiral's barge and one of our cutters. The former challenged 
our boat and we won, beating the Hartford's pet race-boat badly. 

July 29th. — Left Shanghai to-day for a cruise among the Chusan 
Islands. This is a welcome break in the monotony of our long 
stay at Shanghai. 

Aug. 3d. — Yesterday we ran into Ningpo, and to-day our Consul- 
General at Shanghai and his wife came on board for a short cruise 



254 A LONG DEFERRED HOMEWARD VOYAGE 

among the islands. Steamed out to sea, touching at various islands 
and ports. 

Aug. 5th. — While on shore to-day at Ting Hae, we chartered two 
junks to take us down to the island of Poo-too, a sacred island, on a 
sort of a picnic. I am detailed by Captain Shufeldt to take official 
charge of the party, and to act against pirates who frequent this 
island as a headquarters. 

Aug. 6th. — At four o'clock this morning we left the ship in two 
junks. Unfortunately we had a head wind and did not arrive at 
our destination until noon. We went on shore to explore the 
island and its temples. Although Poo-too is inhabited only by 
priests, and is a rendezvous for pirates, I think it the prettiest 
island, with the finest scenery we have yet seen in China. We 
walked about a mile and a half inland, through fine groves and 
into a splendid valley where the temples are located. They are 
very old, but in an excellent state of preservation. They contained 
about sixty images or josses. One was the largest I have ever seen. 
It stood about forty-five feet high and was eleven feet across the 
shoulders. It was the "god of plenty." We saw a great many 
objects of interest and wonder and could have stayed here a week, 
but one of our officers had a sun-stroke and we had to return to 
the ship — without having seen any suspicious characters by the 
way. 

Aug. 8th. — The usual routine of keeping the ship clean, but no 
regular work of any kind, as we are out for the health of the ship's 
company. We enjoy the fresh sea breezes, and I allow the men to 
go sailing or on short picnics on some of the islands. 

Aug. 9th, — In spite of the fine sea air, our sick list is increasing. 
We had remained too long in Shanghai and are now reaping the 
results. 

Aug. 11th. — Only two new cases of sickness yesterday. This 
morning I left the ship in a junk for Poo-too, with one of our guests 
and some of the officers. We spent two days there and had a 
delightful time. We returned to the ship on the 14th. 

Aug. 15th. — We got under way this morning and ran down to 
Poo-too and anchored, so as to be nearer to the sea. We are in 
hopes that the health of the crew will rapidly improve. To-night 
a great many of the officers and men strolled over the island for 
health and exercise. 

Aug. 18th. — The last two days were spent in wandering about 
the island, health of the crew greatly improving. To-night I 



A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT 255 

received a package delivered by the Wells, Fargo Express — so 
much for Yankee enterprise in this distant part of the world. 

Aug. 19th. — The English gunboat Starling came in from Ningpo. 
She reports that it is almost insufferable there and at Shanghai, 
the thermometer ranging as high as 105, while the highest it has 
been here was 85. 

Aug. 22d.— Returned to our old berth at Shanghai to-day. 
We learned that we will leave for the United States as soon as we 
can possibly get ready. 

Aug. 25th (Sunday). — As this is our last day in Shanghai all 
our friends came on board to bid us good-by. 

Aug. 26th. — Got under way and steamed down the river, thus 
bidding adieu to Shanghai. We leave this place with regrets, 
having made the acquaintance of many people who have turned 
out to be "friends." 

Sept. 2d. — Anchored this morning in Hong Kong harbor near 
the flagship Hartford. We heard that the Wachusett will leave for 
home in a week, but unfortunately for me, I was detached from 
the Wachusett and ordered as executive officer to the Hartford. 

Sept. 3d. — Reported for duty on board the flagship. Busy all 
day in packing up my things for a move to-morrow. 

Sept. 4th. — After breakfast I took all my things and said fare- 
well to the old Wachusett and went aboard the Hartford. Busy 
all day in unpacking and getting settled down. [His detachment 
from the Wachusett, on the eve of her sailing for home, was a bitter 
disappointment to Philip. No one who has not spent several 
years in foreign parts, can appreciate the keenness of delight with 
which officers and men look forward to the day of their sailing for 
"home." Philip was on his first prolonged absence from the 
United States. And yet, even in the secrecy of his diary, he has 
no word or suggestion of reproach for the order which veritably 
snatched the priceless joys of a "homeward bound cruise" from 
his lips and doomed him to a longer stay on this sickly and now 
doubly distasteful station. A finer example of submission to duty 
cannot be imagined. — E. S. M.] 

Sept. 5th. — Busy all day in inspecting the ship and in getting 
acquainted with everything about her. I find it much different 
being executive officer of a flagship. The old Wachusett hoisted 
her homeward bound pennant (two hundred and fifty feet long) 
to-day. 

Sept. 7th. — I am beginning to get reconciled to my new home. 



256 A LONG DEFERRED HOMEWARD VOYAGE 

Sept. 8th. — In the afternoon we made preparations for a typhoon 
and during the night we had a terrific one. I was up all night 
looking out for our ship, while other vessels were drifting around 
the harbor in all directions. About midnight a Spanish ship 
dragged down on us and in a few minutes she capsized, sinking 
beneath this ship! Sent a boat and succeeded in rescuing, with 
great difficulty, all hands excepting the captain's little son, who 
was lost. It was a frightful night! 

Sept. 9th. — At daylight this morning the typhoon had subsided 
somewhat, but it had left terrible traces of its work among the 
shipping and on shore. Several ships disappeared last night, 
others were driven on shore, while a very large number were dis- 
masted. Busy all day trying to get clear of the Spanish wreck, 
directly under us. 

Sept. 18th. — At 3 p. m. the old Wachusett got under way and 
steamed out of the harbor bound for New York. As she passed I 
ordered the rigging to be manned and gave her three hearty good 
cheers and wished her good luck. All the men-of-war in port 
cheered her as she steamed past. 

Oct. 1st. — To-day we had a terrific typhoon, doing an immense 
amount of damage. Ships were dragging their anchors and fouling 
each other in all directions. We dragged with three anchors and 
one hundred and fifty fathoms of chain! Fortunately, no damage 
happened to us. 

Oct. 2d. — This morning the gale had abated, but very sad sights 
were seen around the harbor. Several ships were foul of each 
other; others were almost wrecked. Assisted two American ships 
that had dragged ashore. 

Oct. 5th. — The Great Republic arrived to-day on her pioneer 
voyage from San Francisco. She brought a large mail, but no 
letters for me. I suppose they all think that I am now on my way 
home, so will not write any more. 

Oct. 10th. — Got under way and steamed out to sea this morning, 
having on board guests of the Admiral, Mrs. Hunter and her two 
daughters. 

Oct. 13th (Sunday). — A very rare thing occurred to-day, namely: 
that of having ladies to attend service at sea aboard a man-of- 
war. As we have strong head winds we are making slow progress 
in our course to Nagasaki. 

Oct. 15th. — At noon to-day the mess gave a "swell tiffin" to the 
ladies, having the Admiral and Captain present. 



OPENING A JAPANESE PORT 257 

Oct. 19th. — Anchored in the harbor of Nagasaki to-day. 

Nov. 22d. — We have had a long and tedious stay at Nagasaki. 
To-day Mr. Peterson, the Admiral's secretary, died after a long 
illness, from disease contracted in the hot climate of Shanghai. 

Dec. 7th. — Still in Nagasaki. In the afternoon the Iroquois 
came in. She is the relief of the Wachusett. Spent the evening 
with an old classmate whom I had not seen since leaving the 
Academy. 

Dec. 11th. — After breakfast a party of officers from this ship and 
the Iroquois went off on a picnic on horseback. Rode about ten 
miles back of the city. 

Dec. 17th. — At daylight got under way and steamed out of 
Nagasaki with the Iroquois and Aroostook, bound for Hiogo. 

Dec. 19th. — We arrived at Shimonoseki last night and stopped 
for coal. All of the officers visited the shore. As very few officers 
have ever visited this place, we were objects of curiosity. The 
town is small, but compares with other Japanese towns favorably. 

Dec. 20th. — We left Shimonoseki night before last and arrived 
at Hiogo yesterday afternoon. We found five English warships, 
besides several merchantmen, waiting for the port to be opened, 
which will be on the 1st. The Japanese have several war steamers 
here to watch, I suppose, the foreigners. 

Dec. 22d (Sunday). — Went on shore this afternoon to see the 
sights of Hiogo. Although the port is not yet open to foreigners, 
the natives treat us very kindly. To-day seems to be some grand 
holiday, for everybody almost was dressed out in gay colors, 
dancing and shouting through the streets, while processions would 
march down, pass us under some banner and all the stores were 
closed. 

Dec. 23d. — This afternoon the Shenandoah arrived with the 
American minister and his suite. 

Dec. 24th. — To-day Assistant Surgeon C. H. Page died, after a 
short illness. We have lost seven of our original mess. 

Dec. 26th. — Unusual amount of official visits between the 
American and English fleets, and of course much gunpowder 
burned. The "head officials'? are making arrangements for the 
formal opening of the port. All sorts of rumors afloat in regard 
to trouble, fights, etc., but I guess it will all blow over before the 
1st of January. 

Dec. 27th. — The Japs are collecting a large force at Osaka to 
oppose us next week. 



258 A LONG DEFERRED HOMEWARD VOYAGE 

Dec. 30th. — Making invisible preparations for opening the port. 
Several rumors afloat in regard to war, but I do not think that the 
Japanese will interfere with us. 

Jan. 1st, 1868. — As this was the day for the grand functions, 
we dressed ship with the Japanese flag at the main and at noon 
every war vessel in the harbor fired a salute of twenty-one guns. 
Seventeen vessels joined in the saluting, and for a little while the 
harbor rang with the report of great guns. In the afternoon 
there was more saluting, to the governor of Hiogo, the French 
minister, and the American and Dutch consuls, who all visited this 
ship. On the whole it has been a lively day, and I suppose the 
port is now opened in due form. At noon all the different consuls 
hoisted their flags, and a large number of Europeans (who had been 
waiting on board different steamers) went on shore and are now 
ready to open business. Whether there will be any difficulty 
with the Japs on shore remains to be seen, but so far everything 
seems favorable. 

Jan. 2d. — To-day the Admiral made a grand inspection of all 
the American war ships and found a great deal of fault. He 
"gave it" to the officers accordingly. 

Jan. 5th (Sunday). — The Rev. Mr. Goble, a missionary from 
Nagasaki, officiated at divine service to-day. 

Jan. 8th. — As we heard that the Japanese were fighting near 
Osaka, we steamed across the bay to-day and anchored about 
seven miles from that city. 

Jan. 11th. — This has been the saddest day of our cruise. Admiral 
Bell, Fleet Lieut.-Commander Reed and ten men were drowned 
by the overturning of their boat. By the last mail we received 
orders to proceed to Singapore and await the arrival of our relief. 
Consequently the Admiral was very anxious to finish this business 
here and return to the south. For the last two days it has been 
blowing such a gale that it was impossible to visit the shore; but 
this morning, it having moderated a little, the Admiral thought 
that he must attempt to communicate with our minister, and 
ordered his barge to be manned. He and Mr. Reed started for 
the bar, but the boat had no sooner struck the breakers at the 
mouth of the river than the barge was capsized. 

The officer of the deck and I were on the poop of the Hartford 
watching the boat from the time she left the ship until she went 
over. We sent two boats from the Hartford and one each from 
the Shenandoah and Aroostook (four in all) to the assistance of 



TRAGIC DEATH OF ADMIRAL BELL 259 

those in the surf, and, although they arrived there in a compara- 
tively short time, they succeeded in saving only three men; all 
the others having perished. We then sent a boat inside the 
breakers to search, and at sunset they found the body of the Admiral 
and one of his men. It is still blowing hard, but there are two 
boats inside on the watch, in hopes of finding them all. The 
opening of the port of Osaka has been a very sad event so far, 
and it is to be sincerely hoped that no like accident may happen 
in the future. All the bodies were recovered afterward. 

Jan. 14th. — Busy yesterday and the day before making prep- 
arations for the funeral. At 10.30 a. m. the boats began to assemble, 
and after lowering the twelve bodies in the launches, the funeral 
procession formed in three lines of boats, eleven in each line, and 
pulled for the shore. All the English fleet joined in the ceremonies, 
their boats occupying the left line. As the procession started the 
Hartford fired thirteen minute guns; and at our last gun, the 
Shenandoah began and was followed by the Oneida and the Iro- 
quois — each firing the same number (thirteen) of guns, thus pro- 
longing the salute and making it more solemn — if possible. At 
the graves the usual military ceremonies were observed and the 
Chaplain performed the last service. At sunset we saluted the 
Admiral's flag with thirteen guns and then hauled it down. 

Jan. 21st. — Got under way and steamed out of the harbor of 
Hiogo, bound for Nagasaki. It seems almost incredible that we 
are really on our way home after so long an absence. 

Jan. 26th. — After touching at Shimonoseki for coal we anchored 
at Nagasaki this afternoon. 

Feb. 8th. — We left Nagasaki the 1st inst., and arrived at Hong 
Kong to-day after an uneventful passage. 

Feb. 20th. — Since our arrival in Hong Kong we have been busy 
in preparing the ship for her homeward passage. But we had bad 
news to-day from Japan — of a war and trouble with foreigners. 
We are afraid that this ship will be obliged to return there instead 
of going home. It will be a great disappointment to us, but if 
duty requires us to go back we have no alternative and consequently 
will do what our country expects of us with pleasure and alacrity. 
[A noble sentiment — nobly expressed! — E. S. M.] 

Feb. 21st. — Received orders to-day to get ready for sea imme- 
diately on account of the trouble in Japan. I suppose we will 
return to that country and await our relief there instead of at 



260 A LONG DEFERRED HOMEWARD VOYAGE 

Singapore, as we had intended. If so we will be detained almost 
a year longer. Yet it is our duty. 

Feb. 26th. — The Supply sailed yesterday for Boston. All 
her people are perfectly happy at the idea of leaving this station 
and returning to the United States. We cheered them heartily. 

March 5th. — We find that we will not be obliged to return to 
Japan after all. To-day we left Hong Kong and anchored at 
Whampoa, in order to get clear water with which to clean the 
bottom of our ship. 

We saw quite an exciting engagement between three or four 
Chinese junks about two miles below us. Although there was a 
good deal of firing on each side I think there was no serious injury 
done, as they all sailed away apparently satisfied. 

March 13th. — Left Whampoa yesterday and steamed into Hong 
Kong harbor to-day .It does seem that we will never get started 
on our homeward voyage. 

March 19th. — A telegram was received to-day announcing that 
war had been declared between England and the United States. 

March 20th. — This being our last day in China, we all went on 
shore in the evening and made Hong Kong "aware" of our pres- 
ence. 

March 21st. — This has been the happiest day I have spent in 
China. All the morning our friends were coming on board to say 
good-by, and finally at 2.30 p. m. we got under way and steamed 
out of the harbor, amid the cheering of all the men-of-war. All 
the sailors were in the rigging hurrahing at the top of their voices, 
and at the last cheer nearly every one of them threw his cap over- 
board, while some let fly from the mast heads game cocks, ducks, 
etc. I can scarcely realize that we are at last homeward bound! 

March 31st. — After a beautiful run down the coast and islands 
we anchored at Singapore to-day, but were disappointed in not 
finding our relief ship, the Piscataqua, there, so we must wait 
for her. 

April 18th. — The Piscataqua arrived to-day, much to our delight. 
During our stay here I visited the shore several times, but cannot 
say that I like the place very much. 

April 23d. — At daylight we got under way and steamed out of 
the harbor, after giving the Admiral a parting salute with "full 
charges." This is "one of the days" to be remembered. 

April 28th. — After touching at Anjiers and finding that it would 



HOMEWARD BOUND 261 

take three or four days to coal, our captain decided to make his 
way to Cape Town under sail alone. 

May 20th. — Less than two thousand miles from Gape Town; 
we had an exciting race to-day with a large English merchant 
ship. At daylight she was abeam of us, standing in the same 
direction. All day each ship would try to get ahead of the other. 
We kept quite close to each other; first one, then the other would 
get ahead until dark, when the Englishman was five miles astern, 
thus leaving the old Hartford victor. 

May 23d. — During the night we overhauled another English 
ship, and just as we got abeam of her, only about two hundred 
yards apart, the wind died out. We had hard work during the 
night to keep the two ships from fouling each other. At day- 
light a breeze sprang up and we kept company all day. 

May 29th. — Our English friend, whom we came so near fouling 
on the night of the 23d, managed to poke her mastheads above 
the horizon once or twice for several days past, but we finally 
dropped her for good. To-day we passed another merchant ship, 
which increases our confidence in the old Hartford's ability to 
make a quick passage home, 

June 8th. — After being buffeted around for several days by 
heavy gales — most of them "butt end foremost" — and having a 
breakdown in our engines, we finally reached Simons Bay this 
morning. 

June 12th. — I went down to the lighthouse on the Cape of 
Good Hope. Had a hard ride on horseback for thirty-eight 
miles, but after getting to our journey's end we were amply repaid. 
We visited one of the most celebrated lighthouses in the world. 
It is on the extreme southern point of the African Continent. 
Standing just outside of the tower you look down a perpendicular 
height of eight hundred and seventy-five feet to the waters of the 
Atlantic and Indian Oceans beating on the rocks. Besides the 
grand view from this height we saw wild deer among the rocks, 
and ostriches. 

June 13th. — Left the ship in the morning and galloped over to 
Cape Town — a distance of twenty-six miles, and back again in the 
evening. I had a splendid time to-day. Called upon several of 
my friends in Cape Town. 

This ends Philip's Journal of a Cruise. 



CHAPTER XXXI 
philip's own story of Santiago 

PHILIP'S career, from the termination of his first 
three years' cruise on the Asiatic station, has 
been so frequently touched upon by the writers 
of articles forming part of this work that nothing more 
is to be desired except a chronological sketch of his 
professional advancement from that time down to the 
outbreak of the Hispano-American War. 

Onffthe return of the Hartford to the United States, 
Philip, after a brief rest, served as executive officer of 
the Richmond on the European station, December, 1868, 
to November, 1871. From September, 1872, to June, 
1873, he was again executive officer of the flagship 
Hartford on the Asiatic station, and was then detached 
to command the old side-wheeler Monocacy. 

Philip's genial personality made friends for him 
wherever he went, and from February 28, 1874 to 1876 
he enjoyed a leave of absence from the Department as 
commander of one of the finest steamers of the Pacific 
Mail Steamship Company — having been commissioned 
a commander December 18, 1874. In July, 1876, 
Philip was ordered to command the Adams, but in April, 
1877, a leave of absence was again granted him so he 
might take charge of the " Woodruff Scientific Expedition 
Around the World, " an enterprise inspired by James O. 
Woodruff of Indianapolis, Ind., but which did not get 
beyond the advertising page of a popular weekly 
periodical. 



ON THE PACIFIC COAST 263 

As this undertaking "fell through, " Philip, in Decem- 
ber of the same year, was ordered to the command of the 
Tuscarora, engaged in surveying the west coast of Mexico 
and Central America. He was transferred to the Ranger 
August, 1880, and it was while in command of this ship 
that he married Mrs. Cowan, of San Francisco. 

Our benedict was detached from the Ranger October, 
1883, and from April, 1884, to April, 1887, he was light- 
house inspector of the 12th district. From May, 1887, 
to May, 1890, he commanded the receiving ship Inde- 
pendence at Mare Island, California; having been com- 
missioned a captain March 31, 1889. He commanded 
the Atlanta from December, 1890, to December, 1891, 
when he became general inspector of the cruiser New 
York, then building, and on her completion he com- 
manded her until August, 1894. He served as captain 
of the Boston Navy Yard from August 24, 1894, to Octo- 
ber 17, 1897, and was ordered to the command of the 
Texas October 17, 1897. Philip's appointment to the 
Texas and her participation in the events which led to 
the naval battle of Santiago have already been suffi- 
ciently detailed by other writers in this work, so we now 
have everything clear for the hero's own narrative of 
the stirring deeds of July 3, 1898. 

PHILIP'S OWN STORY OF SANTIAGO 

(From the Century Magazine for May, 18 99, by courtesy 
of the Century Company) 

Once in the weary days of waiting before the Santiago 
Morro, when none of us knew whether we were to lie 
there inactive for a year or to be blown up the next 
minute by a torpedo, a man came to me and said : 



264 philip's own story of Santiago 

"Captain, I don't know about this thing of standing 
up to get shot at. I never thought much about the 
Peace Society before, but I am becoming more and 
more convinced that I ought to join it. The truth is, 
if Cervera ever comes out of his hole and begins throwing 
11 -inch shells at me, I am very much afraid that I shall 
be very much afraid." 

I met this man again on that bright July afternoon 
a week or two later, as we lay off Rio Tarquino, watching 
the quiet surrender of the last ship of the Spanish squad- 
ron, with the decks of the Texas sole-deep in saltpeter 
from her guns, her forward upper works shot away, 
the marks of a Spanish shell in her pilot-house, and the 
fragments of another in her fire-room, but still able to 
flutter the signal "No casualties." He looked twenty 
years younger. His eyes were still bright with the joy 
of battle. 

"Were you afraid?" I asked. 

"I hadn't time to think about it," he replied. 

His somewhat whimsical apprehensions had been 
born of the tension of waiting. 

It is easy now to speak lightly of the blockade, but it 
made more than one man in our squadron hollow-eyed 
and fitful-pulsed. A less equable race could never 
have maintained it as did the officers and men under the 
command of Sampson and Schley. 

Although this is intended to be a brief account of the 
battle of Santiago as seen from the Texas, I mention 
the blockade because it was the blockade that made the 
battle possible. The battle was a direct consequence 
of the blockade, and upon the method and effectivenes 
of the blockade was very largely dependent the issue 
of the battle. It was necessary to have always before 
the entrance to Santiago harbor a force of ships amply 



THE " TERRIBLE STRAIN" OF WATCHING 265 

sufficient to cope with the Spanish squadron, should it 
come out to do battle, and it was necessary to have 
this force so disposed that none of the Spaniards could 
escape, if that were their object, no matter what direction 
they should take. Unremitting vigilance by night and 
by day was an absolute necessity. Under the orders of 
Admiral Sampson, the blockade was conducted with a 
success exemplified by the result. 

It was a terrible strain, that month of watching for 
what no man knew. For weeks hammocks were unknown 
on the Texas, with half the entire crew by turns on watch 
at night. Every one on board, from 'prentice to officer, 
met the arduous conditions cheerfully. Rarely was 
there an infraction of discipline. One night two tired 
boys were reported to me as asleep when they should 
have been awake. It was an offence punishable with 
death in time of war. I called them aft next morning, 
in the presence of the assembled crew, and told them 
that the safety of all depended upon the vigilance of 
each. They looked for sympathy from their comrades, 
but got not a glance. With a few more words of admon- 
ition, I sent them below in tears, knowing full well that 
never again would those two boys sleep on post. 

That our officers and men bore up so well under this 
strain, when a trip to Guantanamo for coal was a wel- 
come relief, and a bombardment of the Santiago fortifica- 
tions a joyous dissipation, is a cheering instance that the 
American character has plenty of that dogged steadfast- 
ness which is more valuable to the doing of things than 
dash and brilliancy alone. 

So, when the Spanish admiral at last made his dash 
to escape, we were ready — ready with our men, with 
our guns, and with our engines. Any one who intimates 
the contrary is mistaken, or is desirous of provoking 



266 philip's own story of Santiago 

technical discussion which would leave the public, not 
understanding the exigencies of the situation, with the 
impression that there was somewhere a culpable laxness. 
The Texas, for example — I need not speak for any 
other ship — was churning a white wake before the 
first black prow of Cervera's squadron had fairly showed 
around Puntilla. Within three minutes of the time when 
the alarm was given she was under way at full speed 
and firing, with every man at his post. What more 
can " readiness" demand? 

Cervera's sally had been so long expected that when 
it actually came it was unexpected. I, for one, did not 
dream that, after declining the issue for a month, he 
would come out in broad daylight. On the morning 
of July 3d our ship was in her assigned blockading position 
a little west of south from Morro Castle, which point was 
exactly fifty-one hundred yards distant from the Texas, 
then lying between the Brooklyn and the Iowa. The 
Texas was somewhat farther inshore than either the 
Brooklyn or the Iowa, the former being to the westward 
and the latter to the eastward of her. East of the 
Iowa, again, were the Oregon and the Indiana, while the 
Gloucester flanked the Indiana inshore, and the Vixen 
the Brooklyn. 

I was half-way up the steps leading from the cabin 
to the main-deck when the electric gongs sounding the 
general alarm smote my ears with a fierceness that made 
me jump. On deck officers and men were running to 
their assigned stations in time of action, some of the 
officers who had been off duty buckling on their sword- 
belts as they ran. I heard some one cry, " They're coming 
out!" Glancing toward the Morro, I saw three wreaths 
of smoke blackening the blue sky over the hills beyond 
the entrance. It was just thirty-six minutes after nine, 




The Texas Searchlight. 

( By Courtesy of the Century Company.) 



OPENING THE BATTLE 267 

by our clock. The ship was already under way, headed 
in. From our signal-halyards flew the flags representing 
general signal No. 250, "The enemy is attempting to 
escape." Lieutenant Mark L. Bristol had been the 
officer on duty on the bridge, and he had lost no time 
when his quick eyes had discovered the signs of Cervera's 
sally. Just as I reached the bridge the foremost of the 
advancing Spanish ships poked her nose around Puntilla. 
As she swung around she fired, and almost immediately 
afterward our forward 6-inch spoke. The first shell 
fired by Cervera threw up a column of water short of 
us and between the Texas and the Iowa. 

On each side of the Texas the Brooklyn and the Iowa 
were coming up with a tremendous rush. The dash of 
these two ships, as soon as the alarm was given, straight 
for the enemy, with cascades of water pouring away 
from their bows (the proverbial "bone in her teeth" of 
the writers on nautical matters), was one of the most 
beautiful sights of the battle. They seemed to me to 
spring forward as a hound from the leash. Farther 
east, the Oregon and the Indiana were also headed in, 
ready for business. From some of the ships fluttered 
the same signal that we displayed," The enemy is attempt- 
ing to escape." When so many hundreds of eyes must 
have seen the approach of Cervera at once, it is to the 
credit of all that none claims the distinction of having 
been the first to discover the sally. 

The executive officer of the Texas, Lieutenant-Com- 
mander Harber, and the navigator, Lieutenant Heilner, 
joined me on the bridge, Lieutenant Bristol hastening 
to his post at the port 1 2-inch turret gun. 

It was only a few minutes after we had seen the leader 
of the advancing squadron that it became apparent that 
Cervera's plan was to run his ships in column westward 



268 philip's own story of Santiago 

in an effort to escape between the Brooklyn and the 
shore, before our heavier ships could get way enough to 
stop him. He afterward said that he had hoped to disable 
the Brooklyn if she showed fight, and to show a clean pair 
of heels to our battle-ships. In this he made two grievous 
miscalculations : one in the speed and state of prepared- 
ness of our heavier ships; the other, and perhaps even 
more vital, as to the deadly accuracy of American fire at 
long range. Before he had fairly found himself outside 
the Morro, the entire blockading squadron — Indiana, 
Oregon, Iowa, Brooklyn and Texas — was pumping shell 
into him at such a rate as virtually to decide the issue of 
the battle in the first few moments . 

All our ships had closed in simultaneously. When 
we started we were nearly three land miles distant. 
The first range that I sent to our 12 -inch was forty-two 
hundred yards. At a quarter to ten, or ten minutes 
after the alarm was sounded, the range was given to me 
as thirty-four hundred yards by Naval Cadet Reynolds, 
who was manipulating the range-finder on the bridge. 
This was for the Spanish flagship, which we could see 
was one of the Vizcaya class, and which we then thought 
was the Vizcaya. As everyone knows now, she was 
the Maria Teresa. 

As the. Spanish squadron steamed proudly past the 
gray-walled Morro and swung in seamanlike precision 
of column under the guns of Socapa, the scene from the 
bridge of the Texas, as the smoke lifted from time to 
time, was inspiring. A more beautiful morning we had 
rarely seen, even in those sunlit tropic waters. Scarcely 
a breath of air rippled the long-rolling green swell of the 
Caribbean. Over the waters the mountains of Santiago 
thrust their lofty wooded peaks into the unclouded sky. 
On each hand were our ships of war rushing to the fray, 



" WHERE ARE OUR BATTLE FLAGS?" 269 

at close view battle-scarred and begrimed, but at our 
distance glistening in the sunlight and majestic in their 
suggestion of irresistible power. The picturesque old 
Morro, which we had come to regard with feelings of 
friendship, or at least of good acquaintance, rose straight 
ahead of us, still flaunting the red-and-yellow flag. 

The Spanish ships came out as gaily as brides to the 
altar. Handsome vessels they certainly were, and with 
flags enough flying for a celebration parade. "They cer- 
tainly mean us to think they have started out, at least, 
to do business/' remarked an officer near me, gazing at 
the huge battle-flags that swung from the peaks of the 
Teresa; "but perhaps they have some white ones ready 
for an emergency." It was this array, perhaps, which 
caused Lieutenant Heilner suddenly to look aloft. 
There was the old Texas pottering along grimly, without 
any insignia of war except the Stars and Stripes in its 
usual place at the stern. 

"Where are our battle-flags?" he cried. 

" I guess they won't have any misconception about our 
being in battle," I remarked, as one of our 6-inch shells 
threw up a column of spray that seemed to fall over the 
Teresa's deck. But he wanted battle-flags. "What's 
a battle without battle-flags?" he demanded, and 
hurried a messenger after them. The messenger returned 
with the information that the flags were in the locker and 
that the chief signal-quartermaster had the key. The 
signal-quartermaster just then was very busy and some- 
what inaccessible, being at his post in the fore upper top. 
"Then smash the locker," said the lieutenant, and at 
last we got our battle-flags up. I don't know that the 
Texas fought any better after that, but the lieutenant 
was certainly happier. 

The first shots of the Texas were directed, as I have 



270 Philip's own story of Santiago 

said, at the Teresa at long range, as we were steaming 
almost direct for the harbor entrance. In a very few 
minutes the engagement had become general. Every- 
one of the Spanish vessels fired as she came broadside on, 
rounding the western point of the harbor entrance, and 
the whistle of shells passing over our heads became 
unpleasantly frequent. Occasionally I saw a column of 
water shoot straight up in the air, geyser-like, where 
one of their shells had struck near the ship, but, as nearly 
as I could tell, most of their shots had too great elevation 
and were passing harmlessly over us. I had altered the 
Texas's course to the westward, seeing that that was the 
direction in which the Spanish squadron was going. 

Then occurred the incident which caused me for a 
moment more alarm than anything Cervera did that 
day. As the Texas veered westward, the Brooklyn was 
plowing up the water at a great rate in a course almost 
due north, direct for the oncoming Spanish ships, and 
nearly a mile away from the Texas. The smoke from 
our guns began to hang so heavily and densely over the 
ship that for a few minutes we could see nothing. We 
might as well have had a blanket tied over our heads. 
Suddenly a whiff of breeze and a lull in the firing lifted 
the pall, and there, bearing toward us and across our 
bows, turning on her port helm, with big waves curling 
over her bows and great clouds of black smoke pouring 
from her funnels, was the Brooklyn. She looked as big 
as half a dozen Great Easterns, and seemed so near that 
it took our breath away. 

"Back both engines hard," went down the tube to 
the astonished engineers, and in a twinkling the old ship 
was racing against herself. The collision which seemed 
imminent, even if it was not, was averted, and as the big 
cruiser glided past, all of us on the bridge gave a sigh of 



It 



WARMLY ENGAGED" 271 



relief. Had the Brooklyn struck us then, it would 
probably have been an end of the Texas and her half- 
thousand men. Had the Texas rammed the Brooklyn, 
it would have been equally disastrous; for the Texas was 
not built for ramming, and she would have doubled up 
like a hoop. Few of our ship's company knew of the 
incident. 

It was realty the one time in the battle when I thought 
for a second that I should have to give in to that woman 
in Brooklyn who shook hands with me just before the 
Texas sailed, explaining that she was the last woman 
who had shaken hands with the commander of the Huron, 
that ship having been lost with most of her company 
immediately after the fatal hand-shake. I always wanted 
to fool that woman if possible. 

This happened about a quarter to ten. The Texas, 
after having exchanged compliments with the Teresa, 
was thrashing the Vizcaya and the Oquendo with her 
main starboard battery. They were then the second 
and third ships in line, the Colon, which was third in 
coming out, having drawn inside of the Vizcaya. The 
hottest part of the battle was at about this period. The 
Oregon and the Iowa had come up with a rush. Both, 
from their starting positions, came inside of the Texas, 
the Oregon, by reason of her superior speed, gradually 
forging ahead of us. We found ourselves warmly 
engaged with a Spaniard which subsequently proved 
to be the Oquendo. 

The supreme disadvantage was the smoke from our 
own guns. It got in our ears, noses and mouths, black- 
ened our faces, and blinded our eyes. Often for minutes 
at a time, for all we could see, we might as well have 
been down in the double bottoms as on the bridge. One 
had the sensation of standing up against an unseen foe, 



272 philip's own story of Santiago 

the most disagreeable sensation in warfare. As the 
shells were screaming about our ears in uncomfortable 
frequency, I decided — for the sake of the men exposed 
with me on the flying bridge, as well as for myself — to 
go to the lower bridge, which encircled the conning-tower. 
There one could see as well, and some of the bridge con- 
tingent, at least, would have the protection of being on 
the lee side of the tower. In addition to the executive 
officer, navigator, and range-finder, I had with me on 
or near the bridge a corps of messengers. I found the 
messenger system more advantageous than the sole use 
of telephones and speaking tubes. For each watch- 
officer there were special messengers who answered the 
call of the officer's name. For instance, when I wished 
to give a direction to Lieutenant Haeseler, in the star- 
board turret, I called, "Haeseler!" and instantly a mes- 
senger was at my side. I gave him the message, and in 
an instant it was repeated into the ears of the officer. 
These messengers, mostly apprentice boys, I found in 
every case alert, eager and fearless. After the first few 
moments of nervousness, they entered into the spirit 
of the fight with a marvelous zest. I remember hearing 
one of these boys, a youngster, surely not over sixteen, 
in the very hottest of the battle, remark to another: 
"Fourth of July celebration, eh? A little early, but a 
good one!" 

That we left the flying bridge was extremely fortunate, 
or providential. Within a minute — in fact, while we 
were still on the bridge, making our way down the only 
ladder — a shell struck the jamb of the starboard door 
of the pilot-house and exploded inside, wrecking the 
paneling and framing, and carrying away the after- 
bulkhead. Had we not gone below, the wheel-man must 
have been killed, and probably some of the others stand- 



'LITTLE OR NO CONFUSION " IN THE TEXAS 273 

ing on the bridge. This was the first of the three times 
we were struck. 

The Texas fired from her main battery only when a 
good target could be plainly seen. I gave explicit orders 
to that effect, and they were carried out faithfully. 
When the smoke lifted and the enemy could be seen, the 
gunners took careful aim and fired deliberately. It 
seemed better to fire a few shells and place them, than a 
great many and lose them. Had it been necessary, 
thanks to the improvements made in the turret appli- 
ances by Lieutenant Haeseler, we could have pumped a 
shell every minute and a half from each of our 12-inch 
guns. As it was, the men in the Texas turrets have rea- 
son to congratulate themselves on the fact that the two 
big shells which did find their way into the Spanish ves- 
sels, so far as discovered by the official board of survey, 
were 12-inch shells. 

There was credited to the Texas little or no confusion 
in any part of the ship at any time in the course of the 
battle, and no orders went wrong. Although most of the 
ship's company had to work, as it were, in the dark, they 
had been well drilled, and did their duty with mechanical 
precision, fortified by intelligent patriotism. 

At ten minutes to ten, as we went to the lower bridge, 
the Iowa, Oregon and Texas were pretty well bunched, 
holding a parallel course westward with the Spaniards. 
The Indiana was also coining up, well inside of all the 
others of our squadron, but a little in the rear, owing to 
her far eastward position at starting. The Oregon drew 
up with the Texas, and blanketed her fire for a moment 
or two. 

In the course of our fight with the Oquendo a shell 
exploded over our forward superstructure. The con- 
cussion lifted the bridge contingent off their feet. I 



274 philip's own story of Santiago 

remember pitching up in the air, with my coat-tails 
flying out behind me, as if I had been thrown by one of 
Roosevelt's broncos. No one was hurt except Cadet 
Reynolds, one of whose ear-drums was split. Our port 
cutter was blown into kindling, the woodwork of the 
superstructure was torn to bits, and the ship took fire. 
But the Texas was ready for just such an emergency, 
and in a twinkling a score of willing men were playing 
the hose upon the blaze, regardless of danger. 

A few moments later the Spaniards got in a luckier 
shot. A shell about six inches in diameter struck for- 
ward of the ash-hoist, and, after passing through the outer 
plating of hammock-berthing, exploded, the mass of 
pieces penetrating the bulkhead and casing of the star- 
board smoke-pipe. This shot, fortunately, hurt nobody, 
but it caused considerable excitement in the fire-room. 
Fragments of the shell dropped down there; the ham- 
mocks and portions of the sailors' clothing stored in the 
berthing caught fire and also fell below, causing such a 
gush of smoke in the fire-room that some of the men 
thought the ship had blown up. That there was no 
panic there, nor anything like one, speaks volumes for 
the discipline of the men and the efficiency of the engi- 
neer officers. 

Soon after ten o'clock we first observed the so-called 
destroyers, and at once turned our secondary battery 
upon them. The Iowa, Oregon and Indiana also devoted 
their attention to the much-dreaded little craft. The 
hammering they got from the four ships must have been 
terrific. As we passed on down the coast, leaving the 
destroyers in the rear, we saw the Gloucester was pounding 
them to a finish at close range. The Furor, the leading 
destroyer, blew up with a crash that sounded high above 
the roar of battle. There was a great gush of black 




Philip Watching the Chase. 

( By Courtesy of the Century Company. 



THE BURNING SPANISH CRUISERS 275 

smoke, and a sheet of flame seemed to leap above the tops 
of the hills under which the doomed craft lay. The men 
of the Texas have always insisted that this was caused by 
a shell from Ensign W. K. Gise's 6-inch gun. 

About a quarter past ten the Teresa, which had been 
in difficulties from the moment she left the shelter of 
the Morro, turned to seek a beaching place. She was 
on fire, and we knew that she was no longer a quantity 
to be reckoned with. Five minutes later, our special 
enemy, the Oquendo, also turned inshore. The 
Vizcaya was then in the lead, with the Colon not far 
away and inside. It seemed to us as if the Colon were 
trying to shield herself, and that was undoubtedly the 
reason why she gave us so long a chase. When her 
sister ships were blown up she was uninjured. 

At twenty-five minutes to eleven, as the Texas passed 
the Oquendo, that ship ran up a white flag, and I gave the 
order, "Cease firing." The Oregon and the Brooklyn 
were in the lead, the Oregon considerably farther inshore, 
hammering at the Vizcaya and the Colon. The two 
Spanish ships ashore were seen to be burning fiercely. 
We could see boatloads of men leaving them. The 
Indiana and the Gloucester went in to receive their 
surrender and rescue their survivors, while the rest of 
us pushed on after the two remaining ships. Then we 
knew that the battle, which had lasted less than an 
hour, was virtually over. But there were still two of 
the enemy's ships to run to ground. The Colon forged 
well ahead, and was running like a greyhound for safety, 
but keeping so far inside that she followed the sinuosities 
of the coast. The Texas followed the Oregon at her best 
speed, the men in the engine and fire-rooms working 
like beavers. The Vizcaya kept blazing away viciously, 
but the pounding she got from our four ships, more 



276 f, Philip's own story ofTsantiago" 

particularly the Oregon, was too much for her, and in 
half an hour she too headed for the beach. At a quarter 
to eleven the Brooklyn was abeam of her, about two 
miles outside; the Oregon was nearly abeam, half a mile 
farther inshore ; and the Texas was on I the starboard 
quarter of the Oregon and about a mile in the rear. All 
three were steering parallel courses to the westward. 
The Vizcaya was still firing occasionally, and at fairly 
long intervals our ships took a well-aimed shot at her. 
We could see that she was on fire, and knew that her 
surrender was only a question of time. Just after eleven 
o'clock she veered toward the shore. The Oregon and 
the Brooklyn paid no further attention to her, but put 
after the Colon, which was scurrying westward at a 
great rate. As we drew up on the Vizcaya, a moment 
or two later, her stern flag came down on the run. There 
were colors still flying from her truck, however, and as 
she displayed no white flag, some of our officers thought 
that she might not yet have surrendered, and that the 
stern flag might have been shot away. But we could 
not fire on her, even if she had not surrendered. Flames 
were shooting from her deck fore and aft, and as her 
nose touched the beach two tremendous explosions in 
succession literally shook her to pieces. The Iowa having 
been signalled by Admiral Sampson to go in to her, I 
determined to push on with the Texas, to render assis- 
tance, if any were needed, in capturing the last survivor 
of the squadron. 

That ship, wiliest of all the Spanish vessels, was making 
a great race for liberty. Something might happen to 
the Oregon; the Colon was supposed to be the superior 
of the Brooklyn in strength : it was very clearly the duty 
of the Texas to keep along in the chase, with all her 
energies. It gives me pleasure to be able to write 



"enemy has surrendered" 277 

that, old ship as she is, and not built for speed, the 
Texas held her own and even gained on the Colon, in 
that chase. When it was seen later that there was no 
earthly chance for the Colon to escape, I shut off our 
forced draft, remembering the hard-working and gallant 
fellows in the engine and fire-rooms. In this chase but 
few shots were fired on either side. It was a test of 
engines, and not of guns, and we hoped to capture the 
ship uninjured. 

For two hours this grim and silent chase was pursued 
over the smooth and foamless seas, under a sky of blue, 
and with a background of beautiful Cuban mountains. 
The Colon, following the coast, was in a trap. The 
Brooklyn, drawing ahead, made to cut her off at a point 
of land jutting out farther westward. The Oregon, 
nearly abeam, cut off any attempt to escape by striking 
out to the open sea. The Texas, in her wake, prevented 
her doubling. Hemmed in on all three sides, there was 
only the shore to choose, and the Colon wisely chose it. 
At a quarter past one the Colon surrendered and beached. 
The Texas signaled, "Enemy has surrendered." The 
signal was repeated by the Vixen, then coming up behind 
us, to the New York, some miles to the eastward, but 
was not acknowledged. The Texas closed in on the 
Colon a few minutes after the Brooklyn and the Oregon. 

It has been asserted that Cervera would have had a 
better chance had he led his squadron to the east instead 
of to the west. He then would have had a clear run, 
with only the Gloucester in the way, and the only one of 
our blockading ships supposed (on paper) to be the equal 
of his in speed, the Brooklyn, away over at the westward 
end of the line. But he must then have reckoned with 
the Indiana, the speed of which was impaired, but whose 
guns and men were not ; he would have run into the teeth 



278 philip's own story of Santiago 

of the New York, coining up from the direction of Siboney, 
and the Oregon and the Iowa would have had as good a 
chance to go after him to the eastward as they had to 
the westward. For my part, I cannot help thinking 
that had Cervera been able to steam straight out, radiating 
the ships of his squadron from the Morro as a center, 
one or more of them, in the confusion that must have 
resulted, might have got safely away for the time. More 
especially would this have been the case had he sent 
his,' torpedo-boat destroyers in advance, under full head 
of steam, straight for our line of battle-ships. I do not 
think that the destroyers could possibly have lived long 
enough to do any damage to one of our ships. They 
would have been sacrificed, but they were sacrificed 
anyhow. The effect might easily have been, I conceive, 
that, with our ships blanketed in the dense smoke from 
their guns and not knowing at times whether their neighbor 
was friend or enemy, some of the Spaniards might have 
pierced; our line and got to the open sea without material 
injury.; ; But the reception they got, literally at the 
very moment of showing themselves, made it advisable 
to hugf thej shore and keep one eye out for a soft place 
to beach, where, if life survived the peril of shot and 
shell, it might not be snuffed out by drowning. 



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CHAPTER XXXII 

CONCLUSION 

AS we have already seen, Philip, at the conclusion 
of the Spanish war, served on sea duty a short 
* time, and on January 14, 1899, took command 
of the New York Navy Yard. It was the pleasure of 
the writer to meet "Jack" Philip in the commandant's 
office of this yard, shortly before the admiral's lamented 
death. Philip was just receiving a sailor who had fought 
under him at Santiago, and whose splendid record 
really entitled him to exceptional recognition. The 
old tar evidently had ferreted out all the snug berths 
ashore and presented the list to Philip — any one of 
which, the gallant Jackie said, would suit him. It was 
a long list, including a position as page in the U. S. 
Senate, messenger in the Treasury Department, door- 
keeper at the White House, etc. The Commandant 
patiently listened to the argument and having gravely 
scanned the list, laid it down and said: "My lad, you are 
too modest. Your record entitles you to something 
better. I would prefer to secure for you a Democratic 
nomination for Congress in a Tammany district, or a 
consul-generalship in the Diplomatic Service, or a com- 
mission as a lieutenant in the navy, or an appointment 
as Master of the Buckhounds to Her Majesty Queen Vic- 
toria. Any of these would be easier for me to secure 
than the jobs you have asked for — I have, absolutely, no 
political influence ! ' ' 



280 CONCLUSION 

On June 30, 1900, Philip died at the Commandant's 
home in the navy yard. The funeral was attended by 
many of the distinguished men of the country, the inter- 
ment taking place in the beautiful cemetery at Annapolis, 
near the Academic grounds where he had received his 
first training for naval service. His widow and two 
sons survive him. ' 



L'ENVOI! 



Years have gone by since together we trod 

The deck and looked forward to fates fair and bright, 

And now by old Severn, you're under the sod, 

Loaded with honors. Old messmate, good night. 

Grit to the bone in the face of the foe, 

Fierce as the cyclone in hazardous fight, 
Soft as the south wind for hurt or for woe, 

Chivalric seaman, Jack Philip, good night. 

"Don't cheer, they are dying. Thank God, we have won," 
Cries the soul of the man in the victory's height. 

Faithful below, every duty was done; 

Now aloft, like " Tom Bowline," brave captain, good night. 

Good night, ay, good night, in the language of Time, 

Its joys, its sorrows, its greetings or warning, 
But in the fair dawn of a happier clime 

God willing, old friend, I shall hail thee good morning. 

J. G. P 
(Philip's shipmate in the Wachusett.) 



— o- 



THE END 



18 5 *^M 



